Prophets  and  Prophecy. 


PEOF.  W.  H.  GEEEN. 


A    C03IPILAT10N    P^ROM  NOTES    OF   THE    LECTURES 
BEFORE  THE  SENIOR  CLASS. 


i^Ri>c'jp:r>,   :s'OT    i^X'£iLisiTii:i>. 


MDCCt'I.XXVlI. 


Entered  iU-eordinfr  to  net  of  Congresi?,  in  the  year  1S7T.  by 

W.   H.  (iREEN, 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librariiin  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


THE    PROPHET. 


What  is  meant  by  the  term  "  prophet"  in  the  0.  T.  ?  True 
deiSnition  :  An  authoritative  and  infallible  expounder  of  the  will 
of  God. 

The  books  of  the  prophets  form  an  important  part  of  the  0. 
T.  writings.     This  importance  is  shown  in  four  particulars  : 

1.  In  their  authority. — They  contain  a  divine  revelation  of 
God's  will,  and  dealings  with  Israel  through  over  four  hundred 
years,  which  will  is  still  binding,  in  its  essence,  on  us  to-day. 

2.  In  their  historical  value. — Thej'-  show  to  us  the  religion  and 
theology  of  the  theocracy  in  its  doctrinal  aspect,  in  its  most 
advanced  stages. 

3.  In  their  Messianic  value. — They  contain  the  fullest  and 
clearest  disclosures  B.  C.  concerning  the  coming  Redeemer,  his 
work  among  men,  and  his  ignominious  death  upon  the  cross. 
They  give  the  criteria  for  his  recognition,  holding  him  up  be- 
fore the  world  as  an  object  of  faith  and  hope. 

4.  hi  their  apologetic  value. — They  contain  the  most  astonish- 
ing exhibitions  of  supernatural  foresight  in  numerous  predic- 
tions, and  furnish  us  with  a  powerful  argument  for  the  truth 
and  divinity  of  our  religion.  In  these  four  points  the  prophe- 
cies are  most  important. 

For  the  study  and  appreciation  of  the  character  of  the  pro- 
phets, we  must  first  see  what  is  meant  by  the  term  prophet. 

1   DEUTERONOMY  IS :  IS.  19. 

The  true  idea  of  an  0.  T.  prophet  may  be  learned  first  and 
most  explicitl}'  from  the  formal  definition  given  in  Deut.  18: 
18,  19  :  "  I  will  raise  them  up  a  Prophet  from  among  their  breth- 
ren, like  unto  thee,  and  will  put  my  words  in  his  mouth ;  and 
he  shall  speak  unto  them  all  that  I  shall  command  him.  And 
it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  whosoever  will  not  hearken  unto  my 
words  which  he  shall  speak  in  my  name,  I  will  require  it  of 
him."  This  passage  is  applied  by  Peter  in  Acts  3  :  22,  23,  to 
Christ,  and  is  supposed  by  some  to  refer  to  Christ  alone.  The 
difficulty  of  this  is  found  in  the  connection,  which  is  two-fold: 


4  PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

a.  There  were  no  diviners,  charmers,  consulters,  wizards  or 
necromancers,  Deut.  18  :  9-14,  to  whom  they  were  permitted 
to  resort.  The  people  were  forbidden  to  use  any  other  means 
of  inquiring  into  the  will  of  God,  as  the  heathen  had  done,  for 
they  would  have  no  need  of  it. 

b.  In  condescension  to  the  weakness  of  the  people,  as  shown 
on  Mount  Sinai,  when  they  were  not  able  to  endure  the  pres- 
ence of  God,  he  promises  to  send  them  a  prophet,  or  to  raise 
up  one  who  should  stand  between  them  and  God.  Now  so  dis- 
tant an  event  as  Christ's  coming  could  not  be  used  as  a  reason 
for  their  not  applying  to  diviners,  or  to  some  substitute  for  the 
God  of  heaven.  There  must  be  a  nearer  one  than  Christ,  hence 
the  0.  T.  prophet. 

It  is  plain  from  the  original  language  that  this  passage  from 
Deut.  18:  18,19,  being  the  ground  of  two  different  applica- 
tions, these  two  applications  must  be  reconciled,  by  making 
Deut.  18  :  18,  19,  refer  to  the  line  of  prophets,  and  that  of 
Peter  in  Acts  3 :  22,  23,  must  refer  to  Christ,  the  last  and 
greatest  of  all  the  prophets.  The  passage  has  a  Messianic  ref- 
erence, and  therefore  comprehends  Christ  and  the  0.  T.  prophets. 

Different  Views  of  the  Term  "  Prophet." — Some  com- 
mentators take  the  word  prophet  in  Deut.  in  a  collective  sense, 
i.  e.,  it  is  a  singular  noun  used  for  the  plural.  Answer  1.  This 
view  is  unreasonable,  for  nowhere  else  is  a  singular  used  for  a 
plural.  2.  To  so  use  it,  would  destroy  the  individuality  of  the 
term,  which  is  so  marked,  and,  besides,  all  the  verbs  and  pro- 
nouns are  also  used  in  the  singular.  Some  apply  it  to  Joshua, 
instead  of  taking  it  in  a  collective  sense.  On  the  whole,  it 
seems  best  to  understand  it  in  its  generic  sense,  as  JBeverneik ; 
or,  in  an  ideal  sense,  as  Hengstenberg,  that  is  :  a.  Equivalent  to 
a  prophet,  at  each  time  of  emergency,  b.  Equivalent  to  a  pro- 
phet, that  is,  a  complex  or  ideal  person,  conceived  of  as  a  unit, 
but  embracing  in  it  a  whole  line,  or  order  of  prophets  ;  e.  g.,  the 
Pope  of  Rome  is  an  ideal  man,  he  is  one  of  many  in  the  line  of 
popes  ;  the  President  of  the  United  States  is  an  ideal  man, 
being  one  of  many  presidents.  It  is  in  this  sense,  that  all  are 
combined  as  one  person,  into  an  ideal  unity.     He  argues — 

1.  That  the  prophetic  order  was  to  culminate  in  Christ. 

2.  Is  called  the  "  spirit  of  Christ,"  as  in  1  Peter  1  :  10,  11, 
for  the  spirit  of  Christ  was  to  speak  through  the  prophets.  In 
Peter  it'  says,  "  searchmg  what,  or  what  manner  of  time  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  which  was  in  them  did  signify,  when  it  testified 
beforehand   the  sufferings  of  Christ,  and  the  glory  that  should 


PBOPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY.  O 

follow."  The  Spirit  of  Christ  spoke  through  these  prophets  ;  he, 
therefore  was,  in  a  certain  sense,  the  only  prophet. 

Essential  Particulars. — a.  God  would  put  His  words  into 
his  mouth. 

h.  Infallibility.  He  should  speak  to  the  people  all  things 
commanded,  and  should  give  it  just  as  he  received  it. 

e.  His  authority  should  be  absolute  and  unconditional.  To 
refuse  or  reject  him  was  to  refuse  or  reject  God.  This  subject 
may  still  further  be  illustrated  by  Moses,  thus  placing  the 
prophets  in  contrast  with  two  classes  of  men. 

1.  In  contrast  ivith  heathen  diviners,  v.  10;  and  with  prophets 
who  spake  in  the  name  of  other  gods,  v.  20.  These  last 
thought,  or  sought,  to  penetrate  the  will  of  deity  by  the  observa- 
tion of  omens.  This  is  denounced  and  prohibited  in  the  verses 
following. 

2.  In  contrast  ivith  false  prophets,  who  profess  to  speak  in 
the  Lord's  name,  but  are  unauthorized.  These  are  to  be  dis- 
tinguished by  their  uttering  what  does  not  come  to  pass,  v.  22  ; 
and  in  teaching  what  is  at  variance  with  ^vhat  God  has  taught 
them,  Deut.  13:  1-5.  These  false  prophets  were  of  heathen 
origin,  and  introduced  by  heathen  nations.  They  belong  to  the 
earlier  stages,  i.  e.,  those  under  the  first,  and  from  the  Canaan- 
ites,  e.  g.,  the  "  witch  of  En-dor."  Or  they  belong  to  the  apos- 
tate Kingdom  of  the  ten  tribes,  "  prophets  of  Baal,"  1  Kings 
18:  The  false  prophets  from  Israel  belonged  to  a  later  date,  and 
to  Judah.  They  were  courted  on  account  of  their  smooth 
words,  Jer.  28  :  15. 

II.  NAMES,  EPITHETS,  Etc. 

This  is  another  source  whence  to  derive  a  true  idea  of  the 
prophet.     They  are — 

1.  Those  names  which  describe  them  absolutely. 

2.  Those  which  describe  them  relatively  to  God. 

8.  Those  which  describe  them  relatively  to  the  people. 

a.  Nabhi:  common  term  applied  to  prophet. 

h.  Roeh  :  A  seer.     And  in  Hosea  9 :   7,  we  have  : 

c.  Ish  haruahh:  Man  of  the  spirit  :  inspired  man  (poetic). 

1.  Boeh :  Seer  does  not  mean  one  who  simply  sees  visions, 
as  some  have  supposed,  but  one  who  possesses  the  power  or 
faculty  of  foresight  in  a  higher  degree  than  ordinary  men. 
Not  confined  to  visions  strictly,  but  in  a  wider  sense  to  one 
who,  by  God's  power,  could  see  what  lay  hid  to  others ;  the 
hidden  will  of  God.  The  common  designation  of  prophets  is 
nabhi,    from  nabha,  to  bubble  forth;  with  the  passive  signifi- 


6  PBOPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY. 

cation,  is  one  on  whom  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  is  poured  out,  as 
given  by  some  interpreters.  But  in  Hebrew  it  signifies  "drop- 
ping;" hence  words  significant  of  dropping,  are  figuratively 
referred  to  speaking;  therefore,  to  spenk,  and  in  the  passive 
sense  one  who  is  qualified  to  speak — one  skilled  in  pouring 
forth  words — one  Avho  pours  forth  words  or  utterances,  as  a 
spring  pours  forth  its  waters.  That  this  is  the  primary  mean- 
ing of  the  word  is  seen  from  Ex.  7:1,  "I  have  made  thee  a 
god  to  Pharaoh,  and  Aaron,  thy  brother,  shall  be  thy  prophet," 
i.  e.,  his  spokesman.  Hence,  what  God  says  to  Moses  must 
mean,  one  who  is  a  mouth-piece  of  God  to  man. 

So  also  in  tiie  Greek,  prophetes  is  commonly  interpreted  as 
p7'0,  beforehand,  hence  speaking  beforehand.  Again,  in  a  local 
sense,  to  speak  beforehand  was  only  a  subordinate  function  of 
the  prophet,  hence,  pro  has  been  referred  to  place,  and  not  to 
time,  which  is  the  primary  signification. 

Nahld  gives  authority  to  declare  the  word  of  God.  This 
gives  signification  to  1  Sara.  9:  9.  "  Beforetime  in  Israel, 
when  a  man  went  to  enquire  of  God,  thus  he  spake,  Come,  and 
let  us  go  to  the  seer  :  for  he  that  is  now  called  a  Prophet  was 
beforetime  called  a  Seer."  Prediction  is  only  subordinate. 
Pro,  in  local  sense,  indicates  one  who  speaks  in  the  presence  of 
another  for  him  ;  seer  describes  simply  one  who  sees  ;  while 
prophet  is  one  who  speaks  Avhat  he  sees. 

2.  Relation  to  God. — The  second  series  of  names  are  those 
which  show  their  relation  to  God,  e.g.,  1  Sam.  2  :  27,  "And 
there  came  a  man  of  God  unto  Eli."  Again,  they  are  called 
servants,  2  Kings  17  :  23,  "  As  he  had  said  by  all  his  serv- 
ants, the  propliets."  They  are  called  messengers,  2  Chron. 
36 :  15,  16,  "  They  wait  upon  Him  ready  to  do  His  bidding.'' 
Those  terms,  from  their  nature,  are  inapplicable  to  those  in  the 
service  of  false  gods.  They  have,  however,  a  wider  sense,  a 
more  general  use,  and  are  not  restricted  to  prophets,  but  are 
used  of  any  employed  by  God  to  do  his  work.  Jer.  25  :  9, 
"Nebuchadnezzar,  the  King  of  Babylon,  my  servant."  The 
angels,  also,  are  his  messengers,  Ps.  119:  91,  "For  all  are 
thy  servants." 

3.  Relation  to  Man. — Thus  they  are  called  Roeh:  shep- 
herds, signifying  their  duty  to  protect,  guide  and  feed  the  .flock 
of  God.  The  general  term  applied  to  civil  rulers  and  priests. 
They  are  called  watchmen,  interpreters.  The  word  watchman 
is  equivalent  to  two  Hebrew  words,  one  derived  from  aphah,  to 
set  at  a  distance,  to  watch.  Is.  21  :  6,  "  Go,  set  a  watchman." 
Shamar  :  a  guardian  set  in  the  streets  or  on  the  walls,  a  watch- 


PROPHETS  ANT)  PBOPHECY.  7 

man  to  guard  near  at  hand,  to  sound  the  alarm,  Is.  62  :  6.  In- 
terpreters :  those  who  explain  the  otherwise  unintelligible  Avill 
of  God.  He  imparts  utterances  of  God's  will.  Is.  43 :  27. 
These  words  correspond  to  seer  and  prophet  in  order.  The 
watchman  is  one  Avho  sees  what  others  do  not.  A  seer  is  a 
supernatural  watchman.  An  interpreter  utters  clearly  God's 
will,  as  a  prophet.  His  qualifications  for  the  functions  of  a 
prophet  are  divine,  hence,  what  he  utters  is  inspired. 

III.  PHRASES  AND  EXPRESSIONS. 

We  gather  the  true  idea  of  a  prophet  by  collecting  and  com- 
paring the  various  phrases  and  expressions  about  them.  That 
God's  will  is  made  known  to  them  is  seen. 

1.  Because  God  speaks  to  them,  He  shows  them  what  to  say, 
and  what  to  do  ;  His  spirit  rests  upon  them  ;  His  words  come 
to  them  ;  they  hear  Him,  hence  revelations  are  made  to  them, 
and  "  thus  saith  the  Lord"  shows  a  divine  communication. 

2.  That  they  are  commissioned  to  declare  His  will  is  also 
asserted,  e.  g.,  God  sends  them,  bids  them  prophesy,  gives  them 
tongues  to  speak.  Tliey  are  charged  with  authoritative  com- 
munications to  others.  They  are  bound  to  deliver  these  under 
the  severest  penalties.  They  declare  what  they  have  from  God, 
in  contrast  with  false  prophets.  They  always  preface  what  they 
say  with,  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord."  ISo  completely  is  the  pro- 
phet's own  personality  lost  that  often  the  pronoun  is  changed, 
as  if  God  spoke  directly.  Divine  impartation  of  divine  instruc- 
tion. Modern  critics  say  it  is  merely  a  mode  of  expression 
among  the  people,  and  not  actual  in  fact. 

Skeptical  Opinions. — 1.  Some  regard  the  prophets  as  men 
of  superior  enlightenment  dealing  with  ignorant  people.  To 
conciliate  favor  for  their  utterances  they  publish  them  as  com- 
ing from  the  deity, 

2.  Others  say  the  prophets  were  the  most  advanced  represen- 
tatives of  public  sentiment.  Enthusiasm  thus  referred  to  God. 
They  combined  what  was  in  the  popular  heart.  They  were  men 
who  enthusiastically  thought  that  all  this  was  inspiration. 

3.  The  prophets,  they  say,  were  really  inspired  of  God,  but 
only  as  every  right  exercise  of  our  faculties  is  under  God's 
guidance.  They  differ  from  Christians  not  in  kind,  but  in  de- 
gree. Taking  any  one  of  these  cases,  and  adopt  their  views,  it 
takes  away  the  grand  distinction  of  a  prophet,  it  robs  them  of 
their  spiritual  and  scriptural  meaning. 

Answer  1.  The  supernatural  character  of  the  prophet  is  in- 


o  PBOPHETS  AND  PROP  HE  CT. 

volved  in  the  supernatural  character  of  the  0.  T.,  and  of  religion 
in  general. 

2.  Though  the  prophets  were  holy  men,  and  many  of  them 
were  highly  gifted,  yet  the  inspiration  was  distinct  from  their 
sanctification.  Even  men  who  were  destitute  of  piety  were  thus 
inspired, — Balaam,  Saul,  Caiaphas. 

3.  It  appears  from  the  nature  of  these  communications  made 
to  the  prophets,  that  they  were  such  as  necessarily  imply  sup- 
ernatural communications  from  above. 

4.  It  is  universally  conceded,  even  by  skeptics,  that  while 
other  nations  had  their  oracles,  etc.,  yet  the  prophets  of  Israel 
stood  alone  in  the  character  of  their  revelations.  There  were 
deep  thinkers  elsewhere,  and  philosophers,  but  they  do  not  rise 
beyond  ambiguous  responses.  If  prophecy  is  inherent  in  all 
men,  how  is  it  that  the  prophets  of  Israel  stand  alone  in  the 
purity,  value  and  fitness  of  their  communications. 

Another  limitation  of  the  term  prophet,  not  by  skeptics,  but 
by  religious  people,  is  that  a  prophet  refers  to  one  who  fortells 
future  events.  The  Fathers  also  held  this  view.  The  error  is 
in  mistaking  a  part  for  the  whole  of  their  duty,  and  the  means 
for  the  end.  Foretelling  the  future  was,  of  course  important, 
yet  it  held  a  subordinate  place.  The  prospective  nature  of 
their  work  gave  it  a  prophetic  character.  They  were  not  pre- 
dictors merely,  but  also  teachers,  although  this,  in  a  large  mea- 
sure, came  to  overshadow  the  rest.  The  constant  aim  of  these 
disclosures  is  lost  sight  of.  beside  their  own  inherent  grandeur. 
Remark, 

1.  There  is  no  specific  reference  to  future  events  found  in 
any  one  of  the  definitions  of  prophet  already  given.  However 
conspicuous  this  element  may  appear,  it  is  not  essential  to  the 
ofiice.  They  were  to  speak  all  that  was  commanded  them, 
whether  present,  past  or  future. 

2.  In  actual  fact  we  see  that  the  revelations  of  the  prophets 
do  not  concern  the  future  exclusively,  but  refer  to  the  past  and 
present  as  well,  e.  g.,  when  Samuel  told  Saul  that  his  father's 
asses  had  been  found,  1  Sam.  9:  20,  this  is  past.  Abijah, 
though  blind,  yet  knew  and  prophesied  to  Jeroboam's  wife,  when 
she  came  to  him  in  his  old  age,  1  Kini/s  14  :  G-16.  This  shows 
present  power.  Elisha  told  Gehazi  where  he  had  been,  2 
Kings  5  :  26.  Daniel  related  a  dream  of  Nebuchadnezzar, 
Dan.  2  :  28.  Elisha  told  the  King  of  Israel  words  spoken  in 
the  bed-chamber  by  the  Syrian  king's  servant,  2  Kings  6  :  12. 
Ezekiel  24  :  2,  tells  them  the  very  day,  "  Even  of  this  same  day 
the  king  of  Babylon  set  himself  against  Jerusalem." 


PBOPHETS  AND  PBOPHECT.  » 

3.  The  function  of  the  Hebrew  prophet  was  not  limited  to 
the  revealing  of  secret  events.  This  was  not  the  main  and 
characteristic  part  of  their  work.  They  were  principally  di- 
vinely instructed  guides,  and  the  instructors  of  the  people. 
They  maintained  in  its  dignity  and  integrity  the  covenant  re- 
lation of  the  people  with  God.  This  was  their  particular  func- 
tion, and  to  conduct  the  people  towards  the  end  for  which  that 
relation  was  established,  i.  <?.,  the  coming  of  Christ,  and  his 
great  salvation.  His  future  purposes  wore  revealed,  as  were 
also  the  past  and  the  present. 

4.  To  regard  the  predictions  or  prophecies  merely  in  the  light 
of  prediction  of  divine  help  is  to  mistake  entirely  their  grand 
aim.  Tliis  would  exalt  the  subordinate  end  over  the  principal. 
The  evidence  was  often  incomplete  until  the  fulfillment,  and 
hence  many  would  thus  lose  their  meaning  and  value,  for  the 
prophets  were  contemporaries.  Other  prophecies  are  consid- 
ered doubtful,  because  obscure  and  enigmatical.  Others  still 
by  the  failure  of  God  to  preserve  authentic  records.  Many 
prophecies  were  not  compiled  in  the  time  of  the  prophets. 

Deuteronomy  18:  18,  adds  two  other  functions  of  the  pro- 
phets. 

1.  They  were  invariably  of  the  chosen  people.  Balaam, 
though  a  foreigner,  was  no  exception  to  the  rule,  for  the  name 
prophet  is  given  to  him  only  in  the  N.  T.  (2  Peter  2  :  16),  and 
here  it  is  used  in  its  wider,  more  general  sense.  Balaam  is  no- 
where called  a  prophet  in  the  0.  T.,  but  in  Joshua  13  :  22,  he  is 
called  a  soothsayer,  and  in  Num.  22  :  7,  "  rewards  of  divina- 
tion." He  was  summoned  as  a  soothsayer;  God  made  use  of 
him  as  he  did  of  the  witch  of  En-dor,  but  this  did  not  consti- 
tute him  one  of  the  prophets.  So  also  he  made  use  of  Abime- 
lech  concerning  Abraham's,  wife,  Gen.  20  :  3.  To  this  may  be 
added  Pharaoh's  dream,  Gen.  41  :  1.  Also  Nebuchadnezzar's 
dream,  Dan.  2  :  1.  These  are  revelations.  The  dream  of  the 
man  in  the  host  of  Midian,  Judges  17  :  i3,  14.  All  these 
were  for  the  benefit  of  God's  chosen  people,  and  were  confined 
to  the  extraordinary  circumstances  which  evoked  them,  but 
none  of  these  were  prophets, 

2.  A  second  particular  in  this  passage  of  Deuteronomy  is 
that  the  prophet  was  to  be  one  like  unto  Moses  ;  that  is,  the 
revelations  made  to  him  would  be  like  those  made  unto  Moses, 
a  continuation  of  the  scheme  which  he  had  begfun,  and  in  the 
same  spirit.  They  were  not  therefore,  isolated  phenomemi, 
but  vital  relations  to  the  former  scheme.  All  belons^ed  to  one 
closely  related  scheme,  initiated  by  Moses,  and  to  be  continued. 


10  PBOPHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

by  them  in  likeness  to  him.  The  revelation  of  the  0.-  T.  is  one, 
a  regular  unfolding  begun  by  Moses,  and  carried  on  by  suc- 
ceeding prophets  :  their  teachings  must  be  like  his,  and  built 
upon  his.  The  prophets  were  not  antagonistic  to  the  law,  but 
contemplated  by  the  law  itself,  not  to  reform  it,  but  to  keep  it 
before  the  minds  of  the  people.  It  was  no  afterthought  to  meet 
an  emergency,  but  provided  for  by  Moses.  Ic  was  opposed  to 
false  losses  put  upon  the  law,  and  to  those  who  sheltered  them- 
selves behind  the  Uiav.  So  Christ  was  also  against  tradition. 
Ezekiel  18  :  20,  is  not  opposed  to  Exodus  20  :  5.  This  is  not 
contradictory.  He,  while  claiming  that  they  suffered  for  their 
fathers'  sins,  says  they  also  suffered  for  their  own,  and  putting 
false  constructions  on  the  law.  Exodus  says,  "  of  them  that 
hate  me."  Ezekiel  appears  to  Deut.  24  :  16.  Therefore,  Eze- 
kiel is  the  same  as  Moses,  and  contrary  to  false  interpretations. 
They  base  their  instruction  on  the  law,  and  so  ahvays  enforce 
it.  This  oneness  of  the  prophets  with  the  law,  is  repeatedly 
recognized  in  the  0.  T.,  as  well  as  in  the  N.  T.,  Is.  1  :  11-14. 
The  prophet  here  is  showing  the  worthlessness  of  the  ceremony, 
and  does  not  aim  at  the  abolition  of  the  ritual,  but  rebukes 
their  heartless  formality,  joined  with  ungodly  living.  Sacrifices 
became  unendurable  when  joined  with  lives  of  sin.  The  pro- 
phets were  divinely  commissioned  reformers,  not  of  the  law,  but 
of  the  people.  The  law  needed  no  correction.  They  repeat 
and  re-enact  the  law.  Allusions  to  it  abound  everywhere,  and 
all  their  instructions  are  based  upon  the  law.  Is.  8  :  20,  refers 
to  the  law  and  testimony.  Mai.  4  :  4.  Though  no  direct  citations, 
yet  as  we  see  allusions  are  everywhere  found  in  the  prophets, 
even  the  forms  of  expression  show  familiarity  with  the  law.  The 
law  and  the  prophets  are  combined  in  the  0.  T.,  e.  g.,  Zech.  7:  12. 
So  in  the  N.  T.  we  find  the  expressions,  ''  Moses  and  the  pro- 
phets," "  the  law  and  the  prophets." 

From  the  preceding,  we  see  that  the  prophet  is — 

1.  Favored  with  the  immediate  disclosure  of  the  divine  will. 

2.  He  is  authorized  to  make  it  known. 

3.  Inspired  in   recording  and  teaching  it. 

We  now  come  to  consider,  with  additional  clearness,  not  only 
absolutely,  but  relatively,  their  position  in  the  theocracy  and 
in  the  great  scheme  of  divine  revelation. 

1.  As  to  certain  orders  the  question  arises.  How  do  the  pro- 
phets stand  related  to  other  contemporaneous  orders  of  men  ? 
We  inquire  in  the  general  scheme  of  divine  revelation. 

2.  As  to  other  subsequent  and  antecedent  modes  of  divine 
communication. 


PBOPHETS  AND  PROPHECY.  11 

Priests. — The  priests  were  a  sacred  order  of  men,  mediators 
between  God  and  man.  The  priests  acted  on  the  part  of  man 
before  God  ;  the  prophets  on  the  part  of  God  before  man.  The 
priests  were  such  by  hereditary  descent,  from  representative 
tribes  and  families.  The  Levites  were  selected  as  representa- 
tives for  the  rest  of  the  people.  Tiie  priests  were  an  organized 
body,  with  gradations  of  rank.  They  carried  the  principle  of 
representation  to  its  farthest  extent.  The  high-priest  Avas 
highest  in  rank.  They  were  supported  by  a  legal  income,  from 
the  people  in  whose  behalf  they  acted.  In  other  ancient  na- 
tions, as  Egypt,  the  prophets  belonged  to  the  priesthood,  but  it 
was  not  so  in  Israel. 

The  prophets  were  without  any  regular  succession.  They 
had  no  organization  among  them  ;  no  stipend.  They  were  called 
to  the  office  by  the  immediate  agency  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  by 
His  sovereign  pleasure.  Tliey  might  be  taken  from  any  tribe, 
not  excepting  Levi,  e.  g.,  Samuel.  They  might  come  from  any 
part  of  the  land,  2  Chron.  20  :  14.  Even  from  Galilee,  as  Na- 
hum  and  Jonah,  notwithstanding  the  sneer  :  '•  There  ariseth  no 
prophet  out  of  Galilee  ;"  John  7  :  52.  They  might  and  did  come 
from  any  rank.  Royal  blood,  e.  g.^  Isaiah,  Daniel,  Zephaniah. 
Or  from  priestly  rank,  Zechariah,  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel.  Or  from 
the  most  obscure  herdsmen,  as  Amos.  Thev  might  be  taken 
from  either  sex,  as  Miriam  the  prophetess,  Ex.  15  :  20  ;  De- 
borah, Judges  4:4;  Huldah,  2  Chron.  34  :  22  ;  Anna,  Luke, 
2  :  26  ;  and  four  daughters  of  Philip,  Acts  21 :  9.  Their  de- 
scent from  the  prophets  was  not  essential,  nor  the  contrary,  2 
Chron.  15:18.  It  belonged  to  the  prophets  to  declare  the 
will  of  God.  They  were  valued  as  being  inspired  of  God.  The 
priests  were  not  usually  inspired,  their  province  being  to  offer 
sacrifices  for  the  people'  before  God,  and  to  obtain  for  them  the 
forgiveness  of  sins,  and  yet  in  consequence  of  the  mediatorial 
character  belonging  to  these  two  classes,  the  functions  some- 
times overlapped.  The  priests  were  authoritative  expounders 
of  the  divine  will.  In  the  early  period  especially  was  this  true, 
as  Joshua  in  Num.  27  :  21.  Repeated  mention  is  made  of  con- 
sultation, 1  Sam.  14:  3  ;  1  Sam.  22  :  13;  Judges  18  :  5. 

While  the  prophets  were  permanent,  and  the  priests  not  so 
much  so,  yet  in  Ezra  2  :  63,  they  are  commanded  not  "  to  eat 
of  the  most  holy  things  till  there  stood  up  a  priest  with  Urim 
and  Thummim."  And  in  John  11  :  51,  the  high-priest  pro- 
phesied of  Christ's  death.  In  rei-ard  to  immediate  divine  com- 
munication there  is  this  distinction  :  the  prophet  received  his 
knowledge  by  the  direct  illumination  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  while 


12  PBOPBETS  AND  PBOPHEOY. 

the  priest  received  his  knowledge  from  Urim  and  Thummin,  or 
the  ephod  belonging  to  it.  The  difference  between  them  may 
be  illustrated  by  the  heathen  omens  as  opposed  to  augurs.  Be- 
side the  supernatural  responses,  it  was  the  ordinary  province 
of  the  priest  to  teach  the  law  to  the  people,  and  to  deliver  the 
will  of  God  to  them  in  doubtful  cases,  Lev.  10  :  10  ;  Haggai  2  : 
11.  The  prophets  were  to  intercede  for  the  people  only  by  the 
free  offering  of  prayer ;  the  priests  by  symbolical  ritual,  Lev. 
10  :  3  ;  Deut.  33  :  10. 

Judges. — Another  sacred  order  of  men  were  the  judges — ex- 
traordinary judges.  They,  like  prophets,  were  the  immediate 
representatives  of  God,  hence  they  were  called  to  their  office  by 
the  direct  agency  of  the  Holy  S{»irit.  They  were  limited  to  no 
particular  tribe,  family,  rank,  occupation,  sex.  Deborah  was  a 
judge.  Judges  6 :  4.  Like  the  prophets,  they  were  inspired, 
were  under  the  immediate  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  for 
different  purposes.  They  were  not  to  teach,  but  to  rule.  They 
were  fitted  for  the  special  duties  of  their  office.  The  office  of 
judge  was  executive  and  administrative.  They  were  extraordi- 
nary magistrates  and  leaders  raised  up  by  God  himself  in  time 
of  special  need.  They  may  be  called  divinely  appointed  dicta- 
tors. The  prophets  were  divinely  inspired  teaf^hers,  or  ex- 
pounders of  the  will  of  God,  but  exercised  none  of  the  functions 
of  the  magistracy.  Their  aims  were  not  political.  Their  words 
are  not  to  be  viewed  in  a  political  or  patriotic  aspect.  We  do 
occasionally  find  them  confronting  kings,  but  they  do  not  on 
this  account  deserve  to  be  esteemed  as  tribunes  of  the  people  or 
guardians  of  public  liberty.  Elijah  came  into  repeated  conflicts 
with  Ahab  ;  Elisha  sent  a  youth  to  anoint  Jehu  as  king  of 
Israel  and  destroyer  of  the  house  of  Ahab.  Hosea  and  Isaiah 
denounced  the  dangerous  alliance  of  the  kings  with  Assyria 
and  Egypt.  Jeremiah  was  also  against  Zedekiah.  In  all  these 
cases  they  acted  as  teachers  from  God,  not  as  politicians,  but  as 
religious  instructors.  They  did  not  seek  the  office,  and  were 
not  building  up  apolitical  party;  they  were  not  demagogues. 
What  they  opposed  was  not  on  the  ground  of  impolicy,  but  sin. 
What  they  maintained  was  for  the  honor  and  the  law  of  God. 
We  must  bear  in  mind  that  the  government  of  Israel  differed 
from  all  others.  In  the  true  sense  it  was  a  theocracy.  It  was 
governed  by  the  direct  manifestation  of  God's  will.  He  gave 
them  law,  appointed  their  rulers  ;  they  were  his  vice-gerents, 
and  hence  this  gave  a  religious  complexion  to  all  the  affairs  of 
state.  The  idolatry  of  Ahab's  house  was  a  violation  of  the  con- 
stitution of  Israel,  as  the  covenant  people  of  God,  and  so  often 


PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY.  13 

called  for  the  intervention  of  the  prophets.  Alliances  with 
heathen  nations  were  crimes  against  the  government  of  Israel, 
and  the  will  of  God.  The  evil  which  the  prophets  predicted 
was  held  up  as  the  just  judgments  of  God.  When  the  prophets 
were  consulted  by  kings  and  rulers,  the  responses  were  not  dic- 
tated by  policy,  but  by  the  divine  will. 

While  the  prophets  were  such,  and  while  they  stand  side  by 
side  with  the  priests  and  judges,  yet  their  powers  were  limited 
only  by  their  great  commissions  from  God.  Their  office  might 
be  so  extended  as  to  comprehend  all  the  others.  The  prophets 
performed  any  functions  that  the  occasion  might  demand.  So, 
in  cases  of  emergency,  they  might  act  either  as  priests,  judges 
or  rulers.  It  was  not  a  profane  intrusion  for  a  prophet  to  offer 
sacrifices,  as  it  would  be  for  any  one  else,  e.  g.,  in  the  daj's  of 
the  degeneracy  of  Saul.  Here  the  prophe^^s  assumed  the  func- 
tions of  priests.  Samuel,  though  not  a  priest,  yet  offered  sacri- 
fices by  virtue  of  his  right  as  an  immediate  messenger  of  God. 
So  also  of  Elijah  and  Elisha.  The  ordinary  officers  had  abdi- 
cated, or  had  been  deposed.  Elijah  sacrificed  at  Carmel.  Bread 
of  the  first-fruits  was  brought  to  Elisha,  which  he  was  com- 
manded to  give  to  the  hungry  people,  2  Kings  4 :  42.  These 
fruits  were  due  to  the  priests.  The  people  resorted  to  Elisha 
at  new-moons,  and  on  the  Sabbath,  etc.,  2  Kings  4  :  23.  Samuel 
took  supreme  direction  over  the  commonwealth,  and  acting  as 
judge  anointed  Saul  king,  1  Sam.  7  :  15.  He  subsequently 
deposed  him  and  appointed  David.  Ahijah  prophesies  to  Jero- 
boam, 1  Kings  11:  29.  Elijah  was  directed  to  anoint  Hazael 
king  over  Syria,  and  Jehu  king  over  Israel,  1  Kings  19  :  15,  16; 
2  Kings  8  :  12,  13.  Not  only  did  they  depose  and  setup  rulers 
over  the  people  of  God,  but  over  heathen  states  as  well,  being 
the  ambassadors  of  that  God  who  is  ruler  and  supreme  governor 
of  the  universe. 

It  only  remains  now  to  examine  the  position  of  the  prophets 
among  the  methods  of  divine  communication.  There  is  a  grow- 
ing nearness  and  fullness.  There  is  a  difference  in  the  modes 
of  God's  revelations  of  himself.     By  the  first  method,  we  have  : 

1.  The  Theophany,  characteristic  of  the  patriarchal  period. 
God  made  himself  personally  known.  He  spoke  in  audible 
voice  to  Abraham  concerning  the  offering  up  of  his  son  Isaac  ; 
to  Jacob,  Abimlech  and  Laban  in  dreams.  He  appeared  in 
human  form  to  Abraham  in  the  plains  of  Mamre,  face  to  face. 
Then  God  needed  no  agent.  But  when  the  flood  came,  and  the 
destruction  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  God  himself  declared  it, 
and  sent  them  out. 


14  PBOPHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

2.  When  the  seed  of  the  patriarchs  swelled  into  a  nation,  a 
new  mode  of  revelation  was  needed  and  supplied.  The  will  of 
God  was  now  revealed  through  prophets,  especially  Moses. 
God  no  longer  stood  aloof  from  and  out  of  connection  with 
men,  so  to  speak.  Divine  virtue  was  now  made  resident  in  par- 
ticular men.  The  spirit  descended  upon  them,  and  made  them  the 
depositaries  of  His  will ;  Amos  3:7,"  He  revealeth  His  secrets 
unto  His  servants  the  prophets."  In  the  solemn  transactions  at 
Sinai,  when  the  covenant  of  God  was  to  be  made  between  Him 
and  His  people,  He  speaks  once  more  with  His  own  voice, 
but  all  further  communications  were  made  through  Moses,  and 
the  prophets  raised  up  like  to  Him.  Miracles  were  wrought, 
and  revelations  made  through  them,  e.  g.,  the  plagues  of  Egypt 
were  sent  and  removed  at  the  bidding  of  Moses.  So,  also,  the 
Red  sea  was  divided  at  the  uplifting  of  his  rod.  At  his  word 
the  manna  came  down  from  heaven,  and  water  gushed  forth 
from  the  flinty  rock  for  the  famishing  people.  The  drought 
came  and  disappeared  at  the  bidding  of  Elijah.  Sennacherib 
was  not  destroyed  until  Isaiah  had  first  foretold  it.  This  sec- 
ond mode  or  stage  of  revelation,  while  an  advance  on  the  theo- 
phany,  was  not  the  ultimate  and  highest,  for  Paul  says  in  1 
Cor.  13:  8-10,  "  But  whether  there  be  prophecies,  they  shall 
fail  ;  whether  there  be  tongues,  they  shall  cease  ;  whether  there 
be  knowledge,  it  shall  vanish  away."  'I'hus  he  shows  that  pro- 
phecy was  preparatory  to  and  emblematic  of  the  future. 

3.  The  prophetic  idea  is  realized  in  two  forms  ;  a.  Individu- 
al ;  h.  Universal.  All  these  gifts,  etc.,  of  prophets  in  the  0.  T. 
are  but  types  of  better  things  to  come. 

a.  The  prophetic  idea  found  its  consummation  in  the  person 
of  Christ.  He  was  the  prophet  of  God  in  the  highest  sense, 
Deut.  18  :  18  ;  Is.  42  :  1  ;  49  :  1  ;  61  :  1.  God  no  longer  acts 
remotely  ;  He  no  longer  speaks  from  heaven,  nor  through  His 
servants,  but  comes  Himself  as  a  man  to  instruct  and  bless  His 
people.  The  prophets  were  thus  types  of  Christ.  The  ladder 
which  Jacob  saw  reaching  down  from  heaven  to  earth,  is  thus 
fully  realized. 

h.  Universal  revelations.  The  idea  of  the  prophets  was  des- 
tined also  to  be  universally  realized  in  the  entire  body  of  the 
people  of  God.  The  prophets  belonged  to  the  people.  They 
had  no  native  gifts  of  divination  ;  they  did  not  exercise  their 
gifts  for  their  own  benefit,  but  for  the  good  of  the  people  at 
large.  They  were  established  among  the  people  for  the  people. 
The  spirit  of  prophecy  belonged  not  to  the  prophets  alone,  but 
to  all  Israel,  but  was  restricted  to  one    individual  at  first,  e.  g.. 


PROPHETS  AND  PEOPIIEGY.  15 

Num.  11  :  29,  "  Eiiviest  thou  for  my  sake?  Would  God  that 
all  the  Lord's  people  were  prophets,  and  that  the  Lord  would 
put  His  spirit  upon  them!"  When  Moses  desired  in  this  pass- 
age that  all  the  people  might  become  prophets,  he  expressed 
what  he  beheld  in  type  and  pledge,  which  was  yet  to  reach  its 
final  culmination.  The  ultimate  form  of  communication  is  not 
through  the  few,  but  when  Christ  shall  come  and  abide,  the 
Teacher  and  the  Sanctifier,  of  all  the  truly  regenerate.  Joel  2  : 
28,  predicts  "  the  day  when  the  spirit  of  God  shall  be  poured  out 
on  all  flesh."  Jer.  31  :  34,  "  And  they  shall  teach  no  more 
every  man  his  neighbour,  and  every  man  his  brother,  saying. 
Know  the  Lord  :  for  they  shall  all  know  me,  from  the  least  of 
them  unto  the  greatest  of  them,  saith  the  Lord."  Then  shall 
the  necessity  of  all  prophetic  instruction  be  superseded,  and  the 
prophetic  order  itself  swallowed  up  in  the  indwelling  of  the 
Spirit,  in  each  and  every  believer. 

Different  Classification  Proposed. — A  somewhat  different 
classification  his  been  proposed  by  some,  corresponding  to  the 
three  leading  dispensations,  viz.:  the  Patriarchal,  Mosaic  and 
Christian.  This  was  the  classification  favored  by  Dr.  Moore, 
formerly  of  Richmond,  Va.,  now  dead,  in  his  "  Prophets  of  the 
Restoration."  (See  Commentary). 

1.  In  the  Patriarchal  the  form  of  divine  communication  was 
theophanic. 

2.  In  the  Mosaic,  theopneustic. 

3.  In  the  Christian,  theologic.  In  this,  the  will  of  God  is 
made  known  by  divine  writings,  the  living  Word.  The  present 
form  is  the  only  one  that  can  be  really  universal.  The  prophets 
in  this  form  meet  us  now,  not  in  prophetic  office,  but  in  the  pro- 
phetic word.  The  next  will  be  the  return  of  Christ,  and  the 
completion  of  the  circle,  back  again  to  the  theophanic,  when 
"  the  pure  in  heart  shall  see  God,"  and  be  admittted  to  His 
presence  in  heaven. 

The  prophetic  office  itself  is  divided  into  three  great  eras,  cor- 
responding to  the  three  great  dispensations  to  which  they  are 
referred. 

1.  Theophanic. — This  extends  from  Moses  to  Samuel.  In  this 
the  office  was  rarely  filled.  There  was  no  regular  succession  of 
prophets. 

2.  Theopneustic. — From  Samuel  to  Hosea.  This  is  the  era 
of  the  prophets  of  action,  who  were  mainly  occupied  with  the 
present,  and  so  left  but  few  writings  behind  them. 

3.  Theologic. — This  period  is  marked  by  inspired  men.  It 
began  with  Hosea.     The  whole  period  of  prophecy  during  this 


16  PBOPHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

era  looked  more  to  future  events.  All  the  books  were  written 
during  this  period,  and  hence  it  is  called  the  Theologic  era,  or 
marked  revelation  of  truth.  They  turned  away  from  what  had 
gone  before.  The  oiBce  marked  the  mercy  of  God's  grace  to 
men.  The  last  phase  culminated  in  the  incarnation  of  the  S6n 
of  God.  He  assumed  our  human  nature,  and  dwelling  among 
us,  became  the  personal  Word. 


II.    THE   PROPHETIC    ORDER. 

The  law  of  Moses  contemplated  and  made  preparation  for  the 
prophets,  as  it  did  also  for  the  kings.  It  is  plain  that,  though 
coming  from  Moses,  the  scheme  of  divine  communication  was 
not  to  end  with  him,  but  it  was  to  be  perpetuated  by  others  like 
unto  him.  As  to  the  government,  the  people  were  not  provided 
with  kings  immediately  after  Moses,  but  were  first  put  under 
priests  ;  subsequently  were  organized  under  judges  ;  and,  finally, 
the  kingdom  was  established.  So  of  the  prophetic  order,  it  was 
contemplated  in  the  law,  but  did  not  begin  at  once.  The  term 
"  prophet"  was  general  at  first.  God  at  first  was  consulted 
through  the  priests.  The  prophets  appeared  only  sporadically 
as  it  were.  Finally,  a  continuous  and  permanent  order  was 
created,  from  Samuel  onward,  as  kings  were  from  Saul  and 
David. 

A  "  prophet,"  in  its  wider  sense,  denotes  any  one  favored 
with  divine  communications.  In  Gen.  20  :  7,  Abraham  is  called 
a  prophet;  in  Ps.  105:  15,  David  is  referred  to  as  a  prophet : 
"  Touch  not  mine  anointed,  and  do  my  prophets  no  harm." 
In  Acts  2  :   30,  David  is  agaiti  called  prophet. 

In  the  technical  and  more  restricted  sense,  the  term  "pro- 
phet" belongs  to  those  not  only  invested  vv'ith  the  gift  of  pro- 
phecy, but  especially  to  those  who  were  invested  with  the  pro- 
phetic office.  A  distinction  is  made  between  donuni  propheticum 
and  munus  propheticum.  In  an  ofiicial  sense,  David  was  not  a 
prophet,  but  a  king.  In  this  sense,  Moses  was  more  than  a 
prophet,  though  in  Hosea  12  :  13,  he  is  called  a  prophet.  He 
was  the  great  exemplar,  the  great  lawgiver  of  Israel. 

There  were  other  proi)hets  in  the  time  of  Moses.  In  Ex.  15  : 
20  ;  Num.  12  :  2,  Miriam  is  called  a  prophetess.  Eldad  and  Me- 
dad,  and  the  seventy  elders  are  called  prophets,  in  Num.  11  : 
25,  26.     In  Judges  2:1,  probably  an  angel  speaks,  yet  men  of 


PROPHETS  AM)  PBOPHECY.  17 

God  are  spoken  of  as  His  messengers,  e.g.,  I  Sam.  2  :  27,  "And 
there  came  a  man  of  God  unto  Eli,"  etc.  So  in  Judges  6  :  8, 
men  of  God  are  spoken  of  as  prophets.  The  prophetic  office, 
however,  appears  in  its  full  and  complete  form  for  the  first  time 
in  the  time  of  Samuel,  Acts  3  :  24.  Before  the  time  of  Samuel 
prophecy  was  rare,  as  is  seen  from  1  Sam.  3:1,  "  The  word  of 
the  Lord  was  precious  in  those  days,  there  was  no  open  vision.'" 
After  the  time  of  Samuel,  though  rare,  the  office  was  regularly 
transmitted,  and  seems  never  to  have  been  entirely  suspended 
until  the  time  of  Malachi. 

Seer  and  Prophet. — The  opinion  has  been  pressed  by  some 
that  the  seer  possessed  the  gift  of  prophecy,  but  not  the  office, 
and  thus  was  distinguished  from  prophets,  who  had  both  the 
gift  and  the  office.  Some  say  it  implies  the  office  as  well  as  the 
gift,  and  the  Scriptures  give  the  name  prophet  to  every  one  who 
was  a  seer.  This  distinction  holds  good,  according  to  the  deri- 
vation of  the  words  seer  and  prophet,  but  it  is  not  sustained  in 
the  0.  T.  usage,  e.  g.,  1  Sam,  9  :  9.  The  names  prophet  and 
seer  are  both  given.  The  words  are  used  as  synonymous. 
Moeh,  seer,  was  applied  to  Samuel  almost  exclusively.  The 
original  word  for  prophet  was  nabhi,  to  boil  up,  to  pour  forth 
words,  but  the  function  of  address  was  small.  The  people  con- 
sulted them  principally  in  regard  to  the  future.  Moses  had  this 
term  applied  to  him,  because  he  taught;  but  seer  was  the  usual 
term  applied  to  Samuel.  After  the  change  noted  in  1  Sam.  9  : 
9,  the  word  prophet  was  revived,  and  became  the  standard.  In 
1  Chron.  29  :  29,  we  have  three  terms  for  prophet. 

The  Call  of  the  Prophets. — The  call  of  the  prophets  came 
immediately  from  God  Himself,  Amos  7:  15,  "And  the  Lord 
took  me ;"  Jer.  1:4,"  The  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  me  ;" 
Ezek.  chaps.  1  and  2.  The  charge  laid  on  Isaiah  in  the  sixth 
chapter  has  been  supposed  by  many  to  be  his  original  call,  but 
it  is  more  probably  a  re-investiture,  designed  to-  fit  him  for  a 
new  and  special  work,  like  that  of  John  in  Kev.  1  :  10  ;  or  Paul 
in  Acts  22  :  17.  In  the  call  of  prophets,  human  instrumentality 
is  only  once  mentioned,  and  that  was  in  the  case  of  anointing 
Elisha  by  Elijah,  in  1  Kings  19  :  16.  In  the  19th  verse,  '•  cast 
his  mantle  upon  him."  This  was  a  symbolic  act.  This  depar- 
ture from  the  ordinary  custom  was  peculiar.  The  prophets  then 
had  to  act  in  the  functions  of  the  theocracy.  The  absence  of 
all  allusion  to  human  agency  shows  that  prophets  probably  had 
no  rite  of  induction  into  office.  In  Deut.  34  :  9,  Moses  laid 
his  hands  on  his  successor  Joshua,  to  show  the  impartation  of 
the  Spirit,  but  there  is  no  good  reason  for  supposing  there  was 


18  PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

any  such  ceremony  in  the  line  of  the  prophets.  In  Ps.  105  : 
15,  the  term  "  anointed"  occurs  parallel  with  the  term  "  pro- 
phet." In  Is.  61  :  1,  the  same  term  is  used.  Anointing  is 
symbolical  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  hence  it  is  inferred  that  unc- 
tion was  as  customary  in  the  installation  of  prophets  as  of 
kings.  The  only  case  where  it  is  spoken  of  or  commanded,  is 
in  1  Kings  19:  16,  "And  Elisha  ***  shalt  thou  anoint  to  be 
prophet  in  thy  room."  But  in  this  case  there  is  no  mention  of 
its  actual  occurrence.  When  Elijah  was  taken  up  into  heaven, 
his  mantle  fell  upon  Elisha  as  a  symbol  and  pledge,  that  a 
double  portion  of  Elijah's  spirit  should  rest  upon  him,  2  Kings 
2  :  10.  But  the  prophets  in  most  cases  stood  in  no  such  rela- 
tion of  succession  as  Joshua  to  Moses,  and  Elisha  to  Elijah. 
There  is  no  propriety  in  any  such  inductions  to  office.  The 
possession  of  the  spirit  of  God  was  a  sufficient  induction. 

Age  of  the  Prophets. — The  priests  entered  upon  their 
work  at  a  precise  and  regulated  time.  This  probably  was  not 
the  case  with  prophets,  called  at  God's  time.  The  only  one 
whose  age  is  especially  mentioned,  is  Ezekiel,  1:1.  It  is  here 
insinuated  that  Ezekiel  began  to  prophesy  when  thirty  years 
old,  but  he  was  a  priest,  and  this  may  account  for  it.  Being  of 
priestly  origin,  and  debarred  by  the  captivity  from  entering 
the  priesthood,  he  was  called  at  the  same  age  as  in  the  priest- 
hood. He  is  the  only  one  whose  age  is  mentioned  at  the 
beginning.  Zechariah  was  called  when  "  a  young  man,"  2  :  4. 
Samuel  when  "a  child."  1  Sam.  3:  1,  "  the  child  Samuel." 
So  also  Jeremiah,  1:6,"  Behold,  I  can  not  speak,  for  I  am  a 
child."  Daniel  when  a  child  or  youth,  for  a  different  term  js 
used  in  the  Hebrew  (Dan.  1:7.)  From  the  great  length  of 
Hosea's  ministry,  60  years,  it  has  been  inferred  that  he  entered 
upon  it  at  a  very  early  age.  Haggai,  2  :  3,  must  have  begun 
his  prophetic  work  when  advanced  in  life.  He  saw  the  temple 
in  its  glory. 

In  1  Sam.  10  :  5-10,  we  read  of  a  "  company  of  prophets." 
The  "  hill  of  God  "  was  probably  Gibeah.  In  1  Sam.  19  :  20, 
another  company  at  Naioth  in  Ramah,  Samuel's  birthplace,  is 
mentioned.  Both  Saul  and  his  messengers  were  overcome 
when  they  met  the  prophets,  and  they  prophesied  also.  The 
"  hill  of  God "  may  have  been  so  called  because  it  was  the 
abode  of  these  prophets,  or  perhaps  because  they  were  passing 
it.  Others  say  there  is  no  evidence  for  this.  The  word  Naioth 
means  habitations,  and  this  was  the  common  name  for  the 
residence  of  the  prophets.  In  the  Targum  it  is  translated 
"  schools  "  or  "  house  of  instruction."     In  2  Kings  22  :  14,  we 


PROPHETS  AND  PBOPHEGY.  19 

have  the  same  term,  college,  Avhence  we  obtain  the  expression 
"schools  of  the  prophets."  The  Bible  terras  are  not  applicable 
to  our  idea.  These  schools,  or  company  of  prophets,  are  not 
heard  of  in  Judah  after  the  time  of  Samuel.  In  2  Kings  22  : 
14,  college  or  prophetic  school  is  not  meant,  but  "  ward." 
Huldah,  the  prophetess,  lived  in  the  lower  part  or  ward  of  the 
city.  There  is  no  authority  for  saying  these  companies  of 
prophets  were  to  be  permanent.  They  were-  establishments 
constructed  for  the  time  and  place,  q,nd  they  ceased  with  the 
exigency  that  brought  them  into  existence.  They  were  not 
schools  for  instruction  to  train  men  for  the  prophetic  office,  but 
they  were  bands  of  men,  as  the  term  implies,  already  invested 
with  the  office,  and  with  a  power  sufficient  to  affect  all  coming 
into  contact  with  them.  The  fact,  then,  would  appear  to  be 
this :  that  they  were  men  of  God  brought,  together,  so  that 
under  the  direction  of  Samuel  they  might  be  centers  of  refor- 
mation, in  the  midst  of  great  apostasy. 

Music. — As  music  was  mentioned  in  1  Sara.  10:  5-10,  it  has 
been  argued  that  singing  formed  part  of  their  exercises.  That 
music  was  taught  is  plausible,  and  it  has  been  conjectured  that 
thus  David  may  have  learned  to  become  "  the  sweet  singer  of 
Israel."  In  1  Chron.  25  :  1,  David  distributed  the  service  of 
song  among  the  Levites,  who  are  spoken  of  as  prophets. 

Historians. — As  the  prophets  were  the  historiographers  of 
the  nation,  it  has  also  been  supposed  from  1  Chron.  29  :  29, 
that  recording  the  history  of  God's  people  was  a  part  of  the 
work  of  the  prophets. 

Sons  of  the  Prophets. — It  has  been  supposed  that  "  sons 
of  the  prophets"  formed  an  analogous  company  in  Israel.  In 
the  history  of  Elijah  and  Elisha  we  have  frequent  mention  of 
the  sons  of  the  prophets,  e.^..  Kings  4  :  38  ;  6:1.  These  sons 
of  the  prophets  were  pupils  or  adherents  of  the  prophets,  re- 
siding in  considerable  numbers  at  times,  as  would  appear  from 
the  passages  above  cited. 

Maintenance  of  the  Prophets. — From  2  Kings  4:  38-44, 
we  see  that,  though  not  monastic,  or  celibates,  yet  contributions 
were  made  for  their  maintenance.  There  were  communities 
at  Bethel,  2  Kings  2:3;  Jericho  and  Gilgal.  Two  of  these 
places,  Bethel  and  Gilgal,  were  prominent  seats  of  idolatrous 
worship.  This  shows  reason  why  the  prophets  intended  them 
to  be  centers  of  Reformation,  and  opposed  to  idolatry.  How 
long  these  institutions  continued  is  not  known,  Amos  7  :  14, 
is  the  only  place  where  they  are  mentioned  after  the  time  of 
Elisha.      He  says  :  "  I  was  no  prophet,  neither  was  I  a  prophet's 


20  PROPHETS  AND  PHOPIIECY. 

son."  In  2  Kings  9  :  1,  Elisha  sent  one  of  them  to  anoint  Jehu. 
The  sons  of  the  prophets  were  sometimes  delegated  to  act  in 
the  place  of  a  prophet,  as  in  the  above  passage.  Some  were 
inspired  though  not  all  of  them  In  2  Kings  3  :  5,  those  at 
Bethel  knew  and  told  Elisha  that  Elijah  would  be  taken  away. 
It  does  not  appear  that  the  prophets  were  ordinarily  taken  from 
these  institutions,  or  received  any  special  training  for  their 
work.  Elisha  was  trained  by  Elijah,  but  this  was  a  peculiar 
case,  and  a  rare  exception. 

Mode  of  Life. — Of  the  mode  of  life  of  the  prophets  little  is 
said.  Only  incidentally  is  it  alluded  to,  so  that  we  infer  that 
in  most  respects  it  was  like  that  of  other  men.  As  an  appro- 
priate dress  for  their  work,  they  wore  a  garment  of  hair,  e.  g.,  in 
Zech.  13  :  4,  "  Neither  shall  they  wear  a  rough  garment  to  de- 
ceive." Is.  20 :  .2,  "  Go  and  loose  the  sackcloth  from  off 
thy  loins."  This  perhaps  is  the  same  referred  to  in  2  Kings 
1  :  8,  w^here  Elijah  is  called  a  "  hairy  man."  This  official  dress 
was  the  mantle  which  Elijah  cast  upon  Elisha.  This  was  not 
worn  as  by  an  ascetic,  but  as  a  mourner's  dress,  mourning  for 
the  sins  of  the  people,  as  a  preacher  of  repentance,  Dan.  9  :  18; 
Ezek.  24  :  18. 

Their  Homes. — The  prophets  usually  dwelt  in  their  own 
houses.  Some  of  them  were  married,  and  had  families — Isaiah, 
Samuel,  Ezekiel.  Jeremiah,  16:  2,  was  forbidden  to  marry. 
Some  of  them  had  servants,  e.  g.,  Elijah  had  Elisha  in  constant 
attendance;  Elisha  had  Gehazi;  Jeremiah  had  Barak. 

Inspiration.-^As  to  inspiration  it  would  seem  to  have  been 
temporary,  e.  g.^  Saul  had  only  temporary  inspiration,  1  Sam. 
10:  10.  The  seventy  elders,  in  Num.  11:  25,  prophesied, 
but  did  not  add,  i.  e.,  they  did  not  continue  to  prophesy.  Our 
version  conveys  just  the  contrary,  "  prophesied,  and  did  not 
cease."  Those  who  were  permanently  in  the  prophetic  office, 
seem  not  to  have  been  under  the  permanent  influence  of  the 
Spirit.  What  would  seem  to  have  been  from  foresight,  they 
only  knew  when  communicated,  and  what  it  was.  This  was  the 
case  with  Moses,  Lev.  24:  12.  He  did  not  judge  until  the  will 
of  the  Lord  was  made  known.  So  in  the  case  of  Samuel,  his 
own  private  thought  is  distinguished  from  that  of  God.  This 
is  shown  in  his  dealing  with  the  sons  of  Jesse,  1  Sam.  16:  6,  7. 
Nathan  first  told  David  to  build  the  house  of  the  Lord,  but  after- 
ward told  him  God  had  forbidden  it,  2  Sam.  7:  3.  All  this  is 
important  in  showing  the  nature  of  prophetic  power.  They 
knew  and  exercised,  not  at  all  times,  but  as  God  told  them  to 
speak.     Elisha  said,  "  The  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  them.'' 


PBOPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY.  21 

This  shows  the  distinction  between  their  ordinary  and  inspired 
condition.  Hence  it  is  said  by  some  that  the  spirit  of  prophecy 
is  intermittent,  in  the  way  of  transient  impression,  and  not  j9>'o 
modum,  John  14  :  16,  17.  Some  think  the  inspiration  of  0.  T. 
prophets  is  thus  inferior  to  that  of  the  apostles.  From  Num. 
12:  6-8,  it  is  supposed  that  there  are  diiferent  modes  of  revela- 
tion. The  circumstances  are  these  :  Aaron  and  Miriam  had  re- 
sisted the  leadership  of  Moses.  At  this  time  Moses  was  the 
chief  organ  of  divine  communication.  The  revelations  of  the 
others  are  shown  to  be,  from  their  inferiority  of  character,  sub- 
ordinate to  his,  by  their  intrinsic  character,  and  by  the  way 
they  were  made  known.  There  was  no  sufficient  reason  for  be- 
lieving this  was  permanent.  When  the  prophets  were  raised  up, 
"  like  unto  Moses."  why  should  not  the  Lord  speak  to  them  as 
to  Moses?  Deut.  34:  10,  refers  to  the  age  immediately  succeed- 
ing Moses,  and  so  need  not  be  applied  to  the  entire  condition. 
Moses  beheld  the  similitude  of  God,  and  spake  with  him  face  to 
face.  If  the  former  passages  are  made  to  cover  the  period  of 
all  the  prophets,  it  does  not  confer  on  them  the  same  power 
as  on  Moses,  but  shows  they  are  thereby  only  inferior  to  Moses  in 
the  special  way  of  receiving  their  communications.  Moses 
talked  with  God  face  to  face,  while  the  others  received  theirs 
only  by  signs,  visions,  etc. 

This  question  is  principally  important  only  as  it  relates  to 
the  state  of  mind  of  the  prophets  when  they  received  their  mess- 
age. Hengstenberg  maintains  that  the  ordinary  faculties  of 
the  mind — consciousness,  understanding,  etc., — of  the  prophet 
were  for  the  time  suspended,  and  only  the  spiritual  faculties 
aAvake  ; — that  they  were  in  an  ecstatic  state  when  they  prophe- 
sied. It  is  true  that  this  was  the  case  sometimes  ;  it  was  so  in 
visions.  So  Avith  the  prophets  their  minds  were  completely  ab- 
sorbed in  what  they  were  going  to  say,  or  rather  in  what  was 
within  them.  Dan.  8:  27,  "And  I,  Daniel,  fainted,  and  was 
sick  certain  days."  He  was  physically  exhausted.  This  also 
was  occasionally  the  case  with  the  apostles,  as  Peter  was  in  a 
trance  when  he  saw  the  sheet  let  down  from  heaven.  Acts  10: 
10.  John,  also,  while  in  Patmos.  The  apostle  Paul  was 
caught  up  into  the  third  heaven,  2  Cor.  12:  2,  3.  It  can  not  be 
argued  from  these  that  the  prophets  always  received  their  im- 
pressions in  this  way,  any  more  than  that  the  apostles  did. 
Usually  they  were  in  their  ordinary  state  of  mind.  Some  im- 
pressions are  produced  by  their  writings  in  which  it  is  seen  that 
all  their  functions  were  at  work.  This  is  evident  from  the  fact 
that  their  peculiarities  of  style  are  brought   out  as  in  profane 


22  PEOPHETS  AND  PROFHEGY. 

writers.     This  has  been  the  belief  of  the  church  and  the  apos- 
tolic fathers. 

Inioard  suggestion. — It  would  appear  from  the  scanty  hints 
on  this  subject  that  divine  communications  were  usually  by  in- 
ward suggestion,  and  these  they  were  able  to  distinguish  from 
their  ordinary  thoughts  in  some  manner  which  we  can  not  un- 
derstand.    There  were  also  other  ways. 

•  Audible  voice. — As  in  1  Sam.  3:  4,  "The  Lord  called  Sam- 
uel, and  he  answered,  Here  am  I."  Num.  7:8,  9.  At  the 
baptism  of  Jesus,  Matt.  3:  17.  At  the  transfiguration.  Matt. 
17:  5.  Paul's  conversion,  Acts  9:4.  John  12:  28,  29,  "I 
have  both  glorified  it,  and  will  glorify  it  again." 

A^igels — Were  sometimes  employed  to.  communicate  to  the 
prophets,  as  in  Dan.  9:  21,  "Even  the  man  Gabriel,  whom  I  had 
seen  in  vision,''  etc.,  "  touched  me." 

Visions. — Sometimes  these  announcements  were  made  known 
by  visions.  Some  writers  have  gone  to  the  extreme  of  denying 
that  the  prophets  had  any  visions  at  all.  They  claim  that  this 
was  only  the  form  or  dress  in  which  they  clothed  what  they 
wished  to  say.  But  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  visions 
were  really  presented  to  their  minds  as  they  record  them.  When 
given  in  detail,  it  is  said  such  minutiae  wouhinot  remain.  These 
are  more  frequent  in  some  prophets  than  in  others.  This  shows 
vividness.  Visions  were  more  vivid  with  the  later  prophets,  e. 
g.,  Ezekiel,  Daniel,  and  Zechariah  ;  also  Amos  7  ;  Is.  6  ;  Jer.  1. 
Visions  Avere,  1.  Of  sensible  objects,  as  when  Ezekiel  sees  the 
temple,  8  :  3;  11:  1.  2.  a.  Of  symbolic  objects  as  rejiresenta- 
tive  images  of  another  order  of  creation,  b.  Or  as  sacred  sym- 
bols of  the  sanctuary,  e.  g.,  Ezekiel's  vision  of  the  cherubim  of 
the  High  Priest;  of  the  candlestick,  in  the  vision  of  Zechariah, 
chaps.  3  and  4.  c.  Or  as  symbols  may  be  natural  emblems,  as  in 
Jeremiah's  vision,  1  :  13,  of  a  "  seething  pot,"  i.  e.,  evils  which 
were  to  come  upon  the  people.  Also  Daniel's  vision  of  the 
four  beasts,  Dan.  7.  3.  Visions  of  supersensuous  beings.  God 
appears  in  visions  ;  so  do  angels,  Is.  6. 

Sometimes  the  prophets  sought  for  revelations  before  they 
were  given,  e.  g.,  Daniel  in  the  case  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  dream. 
In  most  cases,  however,  revelations  were  unsolicited.  Upon 
one  occasion,  Elisha  asked  for  a  minstrel,  2  Kings  3  :  15,  and 
when  the  minstrel  played,  the  hand  of  the  Lord  came  upon  him. 
Ordinarily  no  external  aid  seems  to  have  been  used,  Dan  12  : 
8.  The  prophets  did  not  always  understand  the  meaning  of 
what  was  revealed  to  them.  In  Zech.  1  :  9-19,  an  angel  inter- 
preted to  Zechariah. 


PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY.  23 


CLASSIFICATION    OF    THE   PROPHETS. 

Before  entering  upon  the  subject  speeificallj,  it  may  be  of 
advantage  to  us  to  take  a  general  survey  of  the  classes  and 
groups  into  which  it  is  divided.  It  will  thus  prepare  us  for  a 
better  understanding  of  the  whole. 

Number  of  Prophets. — There  are  preserved  in  the  0.  T. 
the  names  of  thirty-eight  prophets,  three  prophetesses,  and  six 
or  seven  others,  whose  names  are  not  given.  These  are  but  a 
small  proportion  of  the  whole  number.  The  companies  of  pro- 
phets, the  language  of  Scripture  shows  to  be  great  companies 
gathered  at  the  center  of  influence.  These  were  inspired  men 
throughout  the  kingdom.  In  2  Kings  2  :  7-16,  we  read  of  fifty 
prophets,  or  fifty  men  of  the  sons  of  the  prophets  at  Jericho. 
In  i  Kings  18  :  4,  we  read  of  one  hundred  prophets  being  saved 
by  pious  Obadiah.  He  hid  them  in  caves  from  the  persecutions 
of  Jezebel.     There  were  also  idolatrous  prophets,  e.  g.,  1  Kin^s 

18  :  19,  we  find  the  prophets  of  Baal,  450  ;  and  the  prophets  of 
Astarte,  400,  who  ate  at  Jezebel's  table.  If  so  many  were  em- 
ployed in  a  false  religion,  why  not  at  least  an  equal  number  in 
the  service  of  the  true  religion  ?  We  find  only  vague  expres- 
sions during  the  period  where  more  are  named,  2  Chron.  24 : 

19  ;  33  :  18  ;  36  :  15.  These  inspired  men  only  formed  the  per- 
manent witnesses  of  God  ;  they  supplied  the  place  of  ordinary 
teachers.  Only  the  more  prominent  are  mentioned  or  referred 
to  in  the  sacred  records,  so  we  infer-  there  were  not  only  one  or 
two  at  a  time,  but  scores  and  hundreds  in  every  age,  even  when 
not  named.-  This  great  body  of  prophets  who  were  the  reposi- 
tories of  God's  will,  have  been  variously  classified. 

1.  The  anonymous  prophets,  and  those  ivhose  names  are  men- 
tioned.— The  anonymous  were  by  far  the  greater  in  number  and 
aggregate  influence.  All  were  alike  in  inspiration  and  author- 
ity. Both  those  whose  names  have  been  given,  and  those  whose 
names  have  not  been  preserved,  have  played  an  important  part 
in  sacred  history,  but  those  named  were  most  prominent,  hence 
their  names  are  preserved  for  us  in  the  Bible. 

2.  Canonical  and  Extra- Canonical.  —  The  Canonical  were 
charged  with  the  teaching  of  God's  people  in  all  ages,  and  ac- 
cordingly they  have  left  writings  which  have  been  recorded  in 
the  sacred  book.  These  comprise  all  whose  names  are  mentioned 
as  authors  of  books  in  the  0.  T.,  and  also  the  authors  of  Joshua, 
Judges,  1  and  2  Samuel,  and  1  and  2  Kings.  The  Extra-Can- 
onical prophets  were  no  less  inspired,  but  their  commission  was 


24  PROPHETS  AXD  PROPHECY. 

to  their  contemporaries  exclusively.  They  either  left  no  writ- 
ings at  all,  or  such  as  were  to  have  no  place  in  the  canon,  and 
hence,  what  they  communicated  was  not  intended  for  a  perma- 
nent rule  of  faith.  Elijah,  Elisha,  and  others,  who  were  Extra- 
Canonical,  have  a  larger  place  in  the  books  than  those  whose 
works  have  been  preserved.  This  division  is  not  the  same  as 
the  former.  Some  that  were  not  Canonical  were  of  great  influ- 
ence, and  even  second  to  none  others,  e.  g.,  Elijah.  Some  of 
the  anonymous  prophets  or  writers  were  authors  of  historical 
books  already  mentioned,  and  preserved  for  us  in  the  sacred 
canon. 

3.  The  Former  and  Latter  Prophets. — The  Former  prophets 
were  authors  of  the  six  historical  books  already  mentioned. 
The  Latter  prophets  were  the  authors  of  the  strictly  prophetical 
books.  These  terms,  Former  and  Latter,  have  reference  not  to 
the  time  of  the  composition  of  the  books,  but  are  due  simply  to 
the  order  of  the  books  in  the  Hebrew  canon.  The  Former 
prophets  were  those  immediately  following  the  Pentateuch. 
Judges  and  Samuel  were  written  before  the  prophetic  books, 
while  Kings  were  written  after.  The  Former  prophets  were  all 
anonymous,  and  by  unknown  authors,  except  Joshua.  Is' one 
of  the  strictly  prophetical  books,  so-called,  are  anonymous,  but 
their  names  are  found  either  in  the  books  themselves,  or  at- 
tached to  the  close.  The  reason  for  this  is  that  prophecy  re- 
quires divine  authentication  attached  to  the  person,  his  char- 
acter and  history.  It  was  essential  that  the  person  of  the 
prophet  should  be  known.  History  is  authenticated  by  being 
proved  to  be  a  true  narrative.  This  classification  does  not 
embrace  such  prophetical  works  as  are  found  in  other  parts 
of  the  canon,  e.  g.,  Lamentations  of  Jeremiah,  and  certain 
Psalms,  such  as  may  have  been  written  by  other  prophets.  The 
book  of  Daniel  stands  in  the  Hebrew  Bible,  not  among  the 
prophetical  books,  but  in  the  Hagiographa.  Some  say  it  was 
because  the  book  of  Daniel  was  written  in  exile,  and  out  of  the 
Holy  Land,  that  it  was  excluded  from  the  prophecies,  but  this 
furnishes  no  sufficient  reason,  for  the  same  is  true  of  Ezekiel. 
Others  allege  the  reason  to  be  that  the  collection  of  the  prophets 
was  completed  before  the  book  of  Daniel  was  written,  and  hence 
it  found  its  place  in  the  later  division.  This  is  based  on  two 
false  assumptions.  1.  It  is  claimed  that  the  book  of  Daniel  is 
not  genuine,  not  written  by  him,  but  is  of  a  later  date,  and 
Avritten  by  another  hand.  2.  It  is  assumed  that  different  parts 
of  tlio  canon  were  collected  at  widely  different  periods  of  time, 
instead  of  all  at  once,  as  it  really  Avas.     The  true  reason  why 


PROPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY.  25 

Daniel  is  found  among  the  Hagiographa  is  that  Daniel  was  not 
a  prophet  in  the  strict  and  official  sense.  He  was  an  inspired 
man,  but  did  not  exercise  prophetic  ministi-y  among  the  people, 
as  Ezekiel  and  Jeremiah  did.  He  held  a  political  station — 
prime  minister  of  Babylon.  The  character  of  the  contents  of 
this  book  justifies  us  in  classifying  it  among  the  prophets,  in 
our  present  classification. 

Turning  our  attention  to  the  Latter  prophets,  we  find  they 
may  be  classified  into  the  Major  and  Minor  prophets.  This  has 
reference  to  the  size  or  length,  and  not  to  the  qualify  or  rank. 

The  Major  prophets  are  three  :  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel ;  to 
which,  for  reasons  already  assigned,  we  may  join  Daniel,  though 
it  is  not  so  long.  Properly  it  belongs  to  an  intermediate  place 
between  the  two  classes. 

2.  The  Minor  prophets  are  twelve  in  number.  In  all  the 
ancient  catalogues  of  Scripture,  they  are  regarded  as  one,  under 
the  name  of  "  the  twelve,"  "  the  twelve  prophets."  On  account 
of  their  brevity,  they  were  combined  for  convenience,  and  for 
preserving  them  from  destruction.  Though  thus  combined, 
they  are  entirely  independent  in  authority.  Their  arrangement 
among  themselves  is,  for  the  most  part,  chronological.  This  is 
denied,  but  it  may  be  said — 

a.  There  are  seven  out  of  the  twelve  books  whose  dates  are 
known,  and  they  stand  in  proper  chronological  order. 

h.  This  principle  determines  the  position  and  regular  suc- 
cession in  other  parts  of  the  canon,  e.g.,  in  the  Major  prophets  ; 
but  this  is  not  the  case  in  the  Hagiographa,  because  they  were 
liturgical,  and  other  reasons  make  change  in  them. 

c.  Tradition  favors  this.  Jerome  says  those  prophetical 
books  having  no  title  belong  to  the  reign  of  kings  named  in  the 
books  preceding  them. 

d.  There  is  nothing  in  the  books  themselves  to  show  that 
they  stand  in  chronological  order.  The  order  is  determined 
not  by  the  time  when  the  books  were  written,  for  then  Hosea 
would  come  after  Joel ;  nor  by  the  absolute  time  of  the  begin- 
ning of  each  prophet's  ministry,  for  then  Jonah  would  precede 
the  others,  2  Kings  14  :  25  ;  but  the  order  is  determined  by  the 
beginning  of  that  portion  of  their  ministry  covered  by  those 
books  Avhicii  bear  their  names. 

The  arrangement  of  the  Minor  prophets  among  themselves, 
as  well  as  their  arrangement  in  relation  to  the  Major  prophets, 
differs  in  the  Septuagint  from  that  in  the  Hebrew  canon.  In 
the  Septuagint,  Hosea  is  followed  by  Amos,  probably  because 
both   relate   to   the   ten    tribes  of  Israel.     After  them,  comes 


26  PBOPHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

Micah  in  the  Septuagint,  which  relates  to  both  Israel  and  Judah. 
In  the  other  cases  the  Hebrew  order  is  retained.  It  seems 
that  the  Septuagint  departed  from  the  Hebrew  because  of  terri- 
torial reasons,  boundary  being  followed. 

The  Major  prophets,  being  the  larger  and  more  important, 
stand  first  in  order  in  the  Hebrew  Bible.  In  the  Septua^^int, 
the  order  is  reversed,  perhaps  because  of  chronological  reasons  ; 
or  perhaps  the  Minor  prophets,  because  they  begin  with  Israel 
and  end  with  Judah,  stand  first,  as  the  Major  prophets  all  relate 
to  Judah,  and  thus  all  the  prophets  of  Judah  come  together. 
Hosea,  the  first  of  the  Minor  prophets,  began  before  Isaiah,  the 
first  of  the  Major  prophets.  Or  because  the  Major  prophets 
all  belong  to  Judah,  and  so  correspond  with  the  end  of  the 
Minor  prophets. 

This  division  of  the  prophets  just  given,  into  Major  and 
Minor,  is  purely  external  and  formal.  It  does  not  affect  the 
authority  or  character.  There  is  more  breadth  and  fullness  in 
Micah  and  Zechariah,  and  ampler  instructions  as  to  the  Messiah, 
than  in  Jeremiah. 

Further  divisions  to  be  made  of  the  prophets  have  more  vital 
connection  with  the  nature  of  the  work,  and  the  themes  on  which 
they  respectively  dwell  :  (1.)  Divisions  as  to  the  sphere  of  labor, 
and  the  tribes  ;   (2.)  Periods  of  their  ministry. 

4.  The  sphere  of  the  prophets'  labor  is  divided  into  the  pro- 
phets of  Judah,  and  the  prophets  of  Israel.  The  prophets  of 
Israel  are  Hosea,  Amos,  Jonah  ;  all  the  rest  are  prophets  of 
Judah.  The  book  of  Jonah  is  the  record  of  a  special  mission 
to  Nineveh,  but  is  mainly  designed  for  the  benefit  of  the  covenant 
people.  The  distribution  of  the  prophets  between  the  two 
kingdoms  into  different  fields  of  labor,  has  some  points  of  an- 
alogy with  the  divisions  of  apostolic  labors  to  the  circumcision 
and  uncircumcision.  The  gospel  of  the  uncircuracision  was 
committed  to  Paul,  yet  he  wrote  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews. 
Peter  admitted  the  first  Gentile  convert  into  the  church,  although 
his  mission  was  to  the  circumcision.  So  there  was  a  division 
of  labor  in  0.  T.  times.  But  we  must  remember  that  the  exist- 
ence of  distinct  kingdoms  was  in  itself  schismatic  and  sinful. 
It  was  never  recognized  as  lawful.  The  tribes  of  Israel  were 
one,  and  formed  the  one  chosen  people  of  God.  A  writing 
came  from  Elijah  the  prophet  of  the  ten  tribes,  to  King  Jeho- 
ram  of  Judah,  2  Chron.  21  :  l2.  Nahum  was  taken  from  Israel 
to  labor  in  Judah.  Amos  from  Judah  to  Israel.  The  prophets 
extended  their  reformatory  work  over  both  kingdoms.  Thus  it 
was  in  the  period  we  are  now  discussing.  Hosea  and  Amos  oc- 


PBOPHETS  AND  PROPHECY.  27 

casionally  addressed  themselves  to  Judah.  Isaiah,  and  Mi- 
cah  sometimes  have  regard  to  Israel,  although  they  were  pro- 
phets of  Judah. 

5.  The  prophets  may  again  be  divided  with  reference  to  the 
periods  to  which  they  belonged,  the  Assyrian  and  Chaldean. 
The  design  of  the  prophets  is  to  teach  the  lessons  of  the  schism, 
etc.,  and  to  record  the  judgment  (Assyrio-Babylonish  judg- 
ment) of  God  for  the  good  of  the  church.  The  work  of  judg- 
ment exhibited  the  forbearance  of  God,  and  gave  the  people 
time  for  repentance.  Idolatry  required  a  violent  corrective. 
In  the  fulfillment  of  ancient  threatenings  of  the  law  of  Moses, 
this  great  empire  of  Asia  was  raised  up  for  punishment.  In  the 
successive  stages  we  see  God's  mercy  in  giving  opportunity  for 
repentance.  The  empii'e  of  Assyria  was  raised  up,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  overthrowing  the  ten  tribes,  the  stronger  but  more 
sinful  of  the  two.  This  empire  was  not  permitted  to  overthrow 
Judah,  the  Aveaker.  The  warning  thus  given  to  Judah  was  in- 
eftectual.  Having  disregarded  it,  Babylon  was  erected,  and 
they  were  given  into  its  power.  Judah  was  carried  into  cap- 
tivity, and  held  therein  until  the  time  of  Cyrus,  when  it  was  re- 
stored. The  lessons  of  prophecy  corresponded  to  the  necessi- 
ties of  the  people  at  the  time,  and  reflect  the  spiritual  wants  of 
the  people  at  that  particular  time.  Prophets  were  raised  up  at 
each  successive  stage  of  this  severe  but  salutary  lesson.  The 
wants  of  the  time  are  determined.  1.  By  the  condition  of  the 
people.  2.  By  God's  purposes  respecting  them.  These  differ- 
ent epochs  define  the  various  prophetic  periods.  Of  these 
periods,  the  first  is  : 

a.  The  Assyrian  period,  embracing  the  prophets  prior  to,  and 
contempoi-ary  with,  the  Assyrian  invasion,  which  overthrew  Is- 
rael and  threatened  Judah.*  To  this  period  belong  eight  pro- 
phets, one  half  of  the  whole  number.  Three  belong  to  Israel, 
Hosea,  Amos,  Jonah.  Five  to  Judah,  Joel,  Obadiah,  Isaiah, 
Micah,  Nahum. 

h.  The  Chakiean  period,  embracing  the  prophets  prior  to,  or 
contained  within,  the  period  of  the  Babylonish  invasion  under 
JSebuchadnezzar,  by  which  Judah  was  led  captive.  To  this 
period  belong  three,  Jeremiah,  Habakkuk,  Zephaniah. 

c.  The  Period  of  Exile,  during  which  Judah  was  in  the  land 
of  the  oppressors.     To  this  period  belong  Daniel  and  Ezekiel. 

d.  The  Period  of  Restoration,  from  Cyrus  to  the  N.  T.  To 
this  period  belong  Haggai,  Zechariah,  Malachi. 


28  PROPHETS  AND  FBOPHEGY. 

(1.)  I.  Typically  Messianic.  (2.)  II.  Properly  Messiakic. 


A.  Implicit.  B.  Explicit. 

rt.   Jonah,  i.  I.  . ■ . 

&.   Nahum,  ii    J.  (A.)  Periods.  (B.)  Person. 

' ' .      Isaiah,  i. 

(<x.)  yegative.  (b.)  Positive.  Micah. 

a.  Obadiah,  i.  _       a.  Hosea,  i.      j  j       Jeremiah,  ii. 

b.  Habakkuk,  ii.    d.  Amos,  ii.     i  Daniel,  iii. 

Zechariah.iv. 
/.  Joel,  i.  "1     Malachi. 

e.  Zephaniah,  ii.  I  t 
6.  Ezekiel,  iii.  M" 
c.  Haggai,  iv.       J 

6.  The  prophets  may  still  further  be  divided  with  reference 
to  their  attitude  concerning  the  coming  of  Christ,  and  the  func- 
tion they  were  to  perform  in  preparation  for  his  coming,  a.  The 
Non-Messianic,  which  were  only  typically  or  indirectly  Messi- 
anic,    b.  The  Messianic,  or  directly  and  properly  Messianic. 

(1.)  The  Non-Messianic  prophets  did  not  direct  their  thoughts 
to  the  remote  future,  but  confined  themselves  to  the  immediate 
wants  of  the  people.  They  comprise  nearly  all  who  precede 
the  period  of  written  prophecy,  i.  e.,  from  Samuel  to  Hosea, 
They  are  restricted  almost  exclusively  to  the  needs  of  the  people 
and  the  time  in  which  they  lived.  They  reclaimed  the  people 
from  apostasy,  made  disclosures,  and  urged  the  people  to  ad- 
here to  God,  but,  as  a  rule,  say  nothing  of  the  coming  Mes- 
siah. During  this  period  we  find  only  the  most  scanty  predic- 
tions of  Christ,  2  Sara.  7  :  12-16.  There  were  only  enough  of 
this  kind  to  keep  alive  the  Messianic  hope  of  the  people,  and 
to  preserve  their  faith  from  extermination.  The  teaching  was 
mostly  by  prophetic  types,  sufficient  for  the  times.  But  it  is 
not  until  the  lessons  of  the  types  are  adequately  set  forth,  that 
the  Messianic  prophecy  becomes  prominent.  Yet  every  prom- 
ise, even  of  temporal  good,  under  the  old  covenant,  foreshadowed 
to  them  better  things  for  the  future,  a  greater  spiritual  good. 
The  predictions  of  this  period  still  have  a  mediate  reference  to 
the  Messiah.  Acts  3  :  24,  "  Yea,  and  all  the  prophets  from 
Samuel  and  those  that  follow  after,  as  many  as  have  spoken, 
have  likewise  foretold  of  these  days,"  is  therefore  true  in  typ- 
ical import. 

(2.)  The  Messianic  prophets  embrace  all  from  Hosea  onward 
who  were  writers  of  prophecy.  Those  of  Canaan  not  only 
wrote  concerning  the  present  wants  of  the  people,  but  also  for 
the  needs  of  God's  people  for  all  time  to  come.  In  these,  the 
doctrine  of  the  Messiah  becomes  very  prominent,  and  yet  in 
treating  this  theme  there  is  no  dull,  lifeless  uniformity  on  the 
part  of  the  prophets.  In  treating  of  the  Messiah,  the  sub- 
stance, character,  and  amount  of  their  teaching  are  all  difi'erent. 


PBOPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY.  29 

They  do  not  develop  on  all  sides  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  but 
they  make  their  approaches  to  this  theme  from  diflferent  stand- 
points, exhibit  diflferent  aspects  of  it,  and  with  diflferent  degrees 
of  fullness.  But  this  divergence  shows  no  discrepancy.  It  is 
possible  to  gather  the  whole  up  into  a  higher  unit.  They  are 
not  only  harmonious,  but  they  are  mutually  self-supporting, 
and  are  supplementary  to  each  other.  Whether  such  a  com- 
bination was  possible  before  Christ  appeared,  or  was  fully 
understood,  is  difficult  to  say.  However,  it  is  plain  that  all 
these  divine  representations  do  find  their  counterpart  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  In  Christ  all  the  enigmas  of  prophecy  are 
solved,  and  we  see  the  consistency  of  what  the  prophets  wrote 
concerning  him. 

7.  These  sixteen  prophetical  books  may  be  further  classified 
in  respect  to  their  manner  of  disclosure  concerning  Christ, 
This  manner  may  be  divided  and  the  prophets  viewed  as  Im- 
plicitly Messianic,  and  Explicitly  Messianic,  a.  Implicitly  Mes- 
sianic furnished  a  link  between  the  prophets  of  this  and  the 
former  period.  They  do  not  in  express  terms  speak  of  that 
which  is  strictly  Messianic,  yet  their  predictions  obviously 
stand  in  closer  connection  with  the  Messianic  prophets  than 
the  unwritten  types  do.  h.  The  Explicitly  Messianic  make 
Christ  the  direct  theme  of  prophecy. 

A.  Of  the  Implicitly  Messianic  or  transition  prophets,  there 
are  only  two,  Jonah  and  Nahum.  They  were  not  contempo- 
raries, yet  they  belonged  to  the  Assyrian  period,  Jonah  in 
Israel,  and  Nahum  in  Judah.  The  theme  of  both  was  the 
purpose  of  God  with  respect  to  Nineveh,  the  capital  of  Assyria, 
the  prominent  foe  of  God's  people.  These  two  prophets  make 
entirely  diverse  revelations  concerning  the  fate  of  Nineveh,  the 
common  foe  of  both  nations.  They  appear  at  diflferent  times, 
and  present  Messianic  lessons,  from  diflferent  sides. 

a.  Jonah,  the  sphere  of  whose  work  lay  mainly  in  the  ten 
tribes,  in  the  time  of  prosperity  under  Jeroboam,  was  sent  to 
prophesy  in  Nineveh,  the  capital  city  of  Assyria,  Jonah  4  :  11. 
This  city  was  selected  rather  than  some  other,  because  it  was 
then  the  great  hostile  power  which  threatened  Israel.  Jonah's 
prophecy  had  a  good  effect.  By  hearkening  to  his  message  the 
city  was  spared.  The  contrast  is,  that  Israel  is  obstinate,  and 
hastening  on  to  destruction,  while  Nineveh,  the  heathen  enemy, 
is  saved.  Jonah  had  preached  a  long  time  to  Israel,  and  they 
did  not  repent.  He  went  and  preached  in  Nineveh,  and  it  re- 
pented at  once,  and  was  saved.  The  great  typical  lesson  is 
that  the  gospel  shall  one  day  be  preached  to  the  Gentiles,  and 


30  PliOFHETS  AND  PBOPHEGY. 

they  should  hear  it,  while  God's  ancient  covenant  people  should 
be  cast  off.  The  great  foe  of  Israel  was  spared  to  be  its  over- 
throw. But  the  time  had  not  yet  come  for  an  actual  chano-e. 
God's  purposes  were  not  yet  ripe.  Therefore  Assyria  was  not 
then  substituted  for  Israel.  Assyria  still  continued  heathen, 
and  Israel  the  favored  people  of  God.  The  Gentiles  should 
not  only  hear  the  gospel,  but  obey  it,  while  Israel  should  be 
cast  off,  and  deprived  of  the  religion  of  their  fathers.  It  was 
typical  of  what  should  transpire  when  Christ  came. 

h.  The  message  of  Nahum  was  for  Judah,  which  was  not  to 
be  overthrown  by  Assyria  as  Israel  was.  Nahum,  therefore, 
predicts  the  preservation  of  the  people  of  God.  It  is  not  a 
development  of  a  Messianic  prophecy,  but  this  may  be  inferred. 
This  disastrous  overthrow  of  Assyria  stands  as  a  type  of  the 
overthrow  of  all  God's  enemies,  the  safety  of  God's  people,  and 
the  judgments  against  an  ungodly  world.  These  are  totally 
different,  and  yet  the  same.  If  we  put  them  into  contrast, 
according  to  Jonah,  Israel  is  cut  off;  while  according  to  Nahum 
Israel  is  saved,  and  the  heathen  cut  off. 

B.  The  rest  of  the  prophetic  books  are  Explicitly  Messianic, 
— they  teach  of  Christ  in  express  terms.  Here,  again,  we  find 
a  great  variety  of  aspects,  far  greater  than  before.  As  to  the 
character  of  the  Messianic  period,  we  may  view  it  as  compris- 
ing two  classes,  (a)  Those  which  treat  of  the  Messianic  period 
itself,  (b)  Those  which,  in  nddition  to  that,  speak  of  the  Mes- 
siah's person.  The  one  exhibits  a  negative  view  of  the  Messi- 
anic period  in  the  light  of  deliverance  from  present  and  future 
evils  ;  the  other  develops  the  positive  character.  The  former 
declare  what  the  Messianic  period  is  not.  A  future  which  stood 
in  no  sort  of  relation  to  the  present,  could  not  be  understood  by 
the  people,  but  if  so  related  that  the  lesson  may  become  com- 
paratively easy,  then  we  must  make  the  present  the  point  of 
departure.  It  is  thus  we  obtain  our  knowledge  of  Spiritual 
things — by  our  own  consciousness,  negative  and  positive.  Thus 
we  get  an  idea  of  God  from  a  knowledge  of  ourselves  :  first,  by 
denying  to  Him  all  the  imperfections  which  we  find  in  ourselves  ; 
second,  by  ascribing  to  Him  all  the  perfections  of  what  is  good. 
So  the  prophets  do.  Some  deny  to  that  glorious  period  the  evils 
of  the  present.  Others  positively  prophesy  blessings  and  bene- 
fits on  that  time. 

(a.)  In  the  negative,  Obadiah  belongs  to  the  Assyrian  period  ; 
Habakkuk  to  the  Chaldean.  Both  belonged  to  Judah.  Both 
direct  their  prophecy  to  different  yet  related  themes. 

a.  Obadiah  belonged  to  the  earlier  portion  of  prophecy,  and 


PROPHETS  AXD  PROPHECY.  31 

selected  Edom,  a  small  neighboring  state,  as  the  representative 
of  the  enemies  of  God.  The  burden  of  0.  is  the  downfall  of 
Edom.  He  reaches  into  Messianic  times,  and  predicts  that 
every  enemy  of  God  shall  find  its  downfall.  The  book  ends 
with  the  declaration,  "  The  Kingdom  shall  be  the  Lord's." 
This  offers  another  opportunity  for  inculcating  the  same  lesson 
in  a  more  impressive  form,  which  occurred  in  the  Chaldean 
period,  i.  e.,  the  universality  of  His  kiuixdom. 

h.  Habakkuk  in  the  Chaldean  period.  A  far  more  formida- 
ble foe  than  Edom  had  arisen.  The  great  empire  of  Babylon 
was  terrible.  It  gave  a  conception  of  the  possible  combination 
which  might  be  arrayed  against  the  people  of  God.  It  pre- 
sents a  spectacle  of  universal  empire,  ruling  almost  the  whole 
world.  It  was  given  to  Habakkuk  to  predict  the  overthrow  of 
this  hnge  empire,  and  deduce  from  it  the  same  lesson  Obadiah 
had  done,  the  universality  of  God's  kingdom  as  opposed  to  all 
others.  Hab.  2 :  14,  "  For  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with  the 
knowledge  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  as  tlie  waters  cover  the 
sea."  This  truth  could  insure  the  downfjill  of  Babylon,  though 
now  at  the  height  of  its  power. 

(6.)  The  remaining  six  prophets  are  positively  Messianic,  not 
only  as  speaking  of  this  period  as  one  of  deliverance,  but  in  a 
positive  sense.  They  are  Joel,  Zephaniah,  Ezekiel,  Haggai,  of 
Judah  ;  Hosea  and  Amos,  of  Israel.  They  delineate  in  positive 
aspect  the  actual  benefits  of  tlie  Messianic  period,  yet  here  also 
is  there  variety  in  the  mode  of  preservation. 

a.  Hosea  takes  no  note  of  anything  but  the  fortunes  of  God's 
covenant  people,  and  of  the  Gentile  nations  merely  as  execution- 
ers of  what  comes  upon  God's  people,  without  any  reference  to 
what  shall  become  of  them  themselves.  He  was  sent  to  pro- 
phesy to  the  ten  tribes  shortly  before  they  were  to  be  over- 
thrown by  Assjn-ia.  He  was  to  assure  the"desporident  pious  of 
the  glorious  future  awaiting  God's  people.  The  Messianic 
teaching  in  Hosea  has  four  points  :  1.  The  favor  of  God  shall  be 
restored  forever.  2.  The  unity  of  the  people  of  God  under  one 
head.  No  such  disastrous  schism  as  at  present  exists  shall  di- 
vide the  nation.  3.  Immense  multiplicity  of  the  people  of  God. 
4.  Their  return.  They  shall  be  regathered  out  of  the  disper- 
sion, so  threatening,  and  be  brought  back  to  the  Lord's  land. 

h.  Ezekiel,  sent  to  Judah  when  in  exile,  develops  still  more 
fully  and  minutely  the  blessings  which  the  people  would  enjoy. 
He  adopts  the  symbols  of  the  old  economy,  and  pushes  them  to 
greater  lengths  than  Hosea  did.  Ezekiel  describes  in  addition 
to  the  return,  and  in  minute  detail,  the  fresh  partition  of  lands 


32  PBOPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY. 

among  the  people,  the  rebuilding  and  measui"ements  of  the  tem- 
ple, and  restoration  of  the  Levitical  ceremonials.  This  is  only 
in  a  symbolic  and  emblematic  sense.  The  theocracy,  which 
seemed  to  be  in  ruins,  was  to  be  restored  after  the  same  general 
character  as  before,  but  on  a  much  larger  scale.  He  refers  also 
to  the  destiny  awaiting  their  heathen  foes,  now  exulting  over 
Israel's  downfall  and  Judah's  captivity.  He  declares  they 
shall  fall  before  the  people  of  God.  There  is  no  mention 
that  the  Gentiles  shall  be  partakers  of  the  blessings  of  God's 
people. 

G.  Haggai  comes  after  the  exile  and  stands  on  substantially 
the  same  platform  as  Ezekiel,  although  he  seems  to  be  partially 
paving  the  way  for  the  extension  of  the  good  news  of  the  king- 
dom to  the  Gentiles.  The  government  of  Judah  shall  be  pro- 
tected. Whatever  may  perish,  God's  people  shall  be  saved. 
The  result  is  stated  in  Haggai  2:7,  "  And  I  will  shake  all  na- 
tions, and  the  desire  of  all  nations  shall  come  :  and  I  will  fill 
this  house  with  glory,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts."  The  ''  desire  of 
all  nations"  is  not  a  personal  designation  of  the  Messiah,  as 
satisfying  the  longings  of  mankind.  It  does  not  mean  Messiah, 
as  many  have  explained  it.  This  view  is  true  from  various  con- 
siderations, being  supported  from  the  prophet's  ovin  under- 
standing of  the  passage.  According  to  grammatical  principles, 
the  "  desire"  of  all  nations  is  a  collective,  feminine  singular. 
The  temple  seemed  poor  in  comparison  with  Solomon's,  which 
preceded  it,  but  all  the  treasures  of  the  nations  shall  be  brought 
to  adorn  and  beautify  the  Lord's  house.  Haggai  does  not  say 
persons  of  the  Gentiles  should  be  brought  into  the  kingdom  of 
God,  but  their  noblest  possessions.  He  does  not  say  whether 
they  are  to  be  voluntarily  brought,  or  wrested  from  their  unwill- 
ing hands.  This  is  not  explicitly  declared,  yet  all  suspense  and 
doubt  are  removed  by  the  three  remaining  cnes,  who  each  un- 
ambiguously affirm  that  the  Gentiles  shall  share  in  the  blessings 
of  the  Messiah's  kingdom.  This  is  set  forth  by  each  in  differ- 
ent aspects. 

d.  Amos  speaks  of  the  incorporation  of  the  Gentiles  into  the 
kingdom  of  God,  as  the  result  of  their  spiritual  subjugation  by 
Israel,  9  :  12,,"  That  they  may  possess  the  remnant  of  Edom, 
and  of  all  the  heathen,  which  are  called  by  my  name,  saith  the 
Lord  that  doeth  this."  That  the  Gentiles,  like  Israel,  were  to 
be  called  by  the  "  Lord's  name,"  implies  that  they  are  to  come 
into  the  same  relation  with  God  as  His  people.  This  is  the 
result  of  conquest  by  Israel.  Active  propagation  of  the  gospel 
proceeding  from  the  heart  of  the  Christian  church.     So  David 


PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY.  33 

must  be  built  up  as  of  old.  There  must  be  a  Spiritual  people. 
The  Christian  church  was  to  be  built  up  and  owe  its  existence 
to  the  Jewish  church.  This  was  in  part  the  case.  The  founders 
of  the  Christian  church  were  Jews. 

e.  Zephaniah,  on  the  other  hand,  declares  the  Gentiles,  like 
Israel,  are  to  be  purified  by  divine  judgments,  Zeph.  2  :  11 ; 
8  :  8,  9.  According  to  Zephaniah,  God's  providential  judgments 
are  to  be  the  agents  in  bringing  about  the  blessing. 

/.  Joel  2  :  28,  makes  no  mention  of  any  actual  extension  or 
propagation  of  God's  kingdom  by  those  included'  in  it,  nor  of 
the  effect  of  God's  providences  in  breaking  down  obstacles,  but 
he  refers  it  solely  to  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  this 
being  the  only  agency  employed  in  the  work.  This  is  in  accord- 
ance with  His  great  promise,  "  I  will  pour  out  my  spirit  upon  all 
flesh." 

(B.)  Person  of  the  Messiah. — The  last  class  of  Messianic 
prophets  are  those  who  make  revelations,  not  only  concerning 
the  character  of  the  Messianic  period,  but  also  concerning  the 
person  of  the  Messiah.     This  class  embraces  the  six  remaining 
prophets,  all  of  whom  belong  to  Judah.     The  Personal  prophets 
are  Isaiah,  Micah,  Jeremiah,  Daniel,  Zechariah,  and  Malachi. 
There  is  a  double  reason  for  confining  these  explicit  disclosures 
concerning    Messiah's    person   to   Judah.      First,  because    the 
kingdom  of  the  ten  tribes  was  not  to  survive,  as  the  kingdom 
of  Judah  should,  till  the  advent  of  the  Messiah.     It  was  to  be 
destroyed  by  Assyria,  and    never   be   revived    again.     It  was 
superfluous,  therefore,  to  supply  them  with  marks  of  ti  e  com- 
ing Messiah.     Second,  the   great  body  of  the   truly  pious,  and 
that  in  which  the  proper  succession  of  the  covenant  people  lay, 
was   in  Judah.      They   greatly   outnumber    the    prophecies   of 
Israel,  and   the   disclosures    made   to  Judah  far  surpass  those 
made  to  Israel.     So,  also,  Messianic  disclosures  were  limited. 
These  six  prophets,  who  make  distinct  mention  of  the  person 
of   the  Messiah,  are   distributed  through   all  four  of  the  pro- 
phetic periods.     There  are  two  in  the  Assyrian  period;  two  in 
the  period  of  Restoration ;  and   one  each  in  the  Chaldean  and 
Exile  periods.     Isaiah  and  Micah  belong  to  the  Assyrian;  Jere- 
miah, Chaldean;  Daniel,  Exile;  Zechariah  and  Malachi,  Res- 
toration. 

a.  Jeremiah  makes  the  most  scanty  revelation  of  the  person 
of  the  Messiah.  His  period  was  the  downfall  of  Judah.  He 
predicts  the  Messiah  as  the  righteous  king,  in  contrast  with 
the  degenerate  monarchs  of  his  own  day.  He  is  to  restore, 
not  only  his  people,  but  all  things  to  his  will. 


34  PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

b.  Micah  adds  the  Messiah  shall  be  not  only  a  virtuous  king 
of  David's  ancient  race,  but  a  divine  monarch,  and  an  effectual 
defense  and  protection  against  all  foes,  however  powerful. 

c.  Daniel  contrasts  Christ's  kingdom  with  the  utmost  potency 
with  the  greatest  kingdoms  of  the  world.  He  thus  carries  the 
teachings  of  the  Messiah  to  the  greatest  extent.  In  symbol, 
he  represents  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  as  brutal,  figured  by 
beasts  of  uncommon  kinds ;  on  the  other  hand,  he  represents 
the  Messiah  as  the  Son  of  God,  7  :  13. 

d.  Isaiah  adds  to  what  has  thus  far  been  set  forth,  his  pro- 
phetic office  as  teacher  of  the  nations,  and  the  fact  of  his 
vicarious  sacrifice  for  sin  is  set  forth  most  clearly  by  this  prince 
of  the  prophets. 

e.  Zechariah  combines  with  his  kingly  office  that  of  his 
priestly  office,  making  him  a  priest  upon  his  throne,  as  well  as 
the  Good  Shepherd  disowned  by  his  flock,  thus  representing 
the  sufferings  he  should  endure  as  a  priest. 

/.  Malachi  predicts  the  Messiah  as  a  judge,  refining  and 
purifying  by  the  fires  of  his  justice,  separating  the  righteous 
from  the  wicked. 

All  of  these  prophets  except  Jeremiah  present  special  marks 
of  identification,  marks  by  which  he  may  be  known  when  he 
comes.  Isaiah  foretells  his  birth  from  a  virgin  mother,  and  his 
ministry  in  Galilee.  Micah  foretells  his  birth  in  Bethlehem. 
Daniel  mentions  the  time  of  his  appearing.  It  should  be  at 
the  expiration  of  the  seventy  weeks.  Zechariah  speaks  of  his 
riding  into  Jerusalem  upon  an  ass.  Malachi,  his  being  pre- 
ceded by  a  forerunner,  or  one  who  should  "  come  in  the  spirit 
and  power  of  Elias,"  as  we  read  it  elsewhere. 

[Various  passages  quoted  or  used  in  support  of  our  present 
"  Division  of  Prophets."  From  the  Minor  prophets  :  Hosea  1 : 
10,  11 ;  3  :  5.  Joel  2  :  28-32.  Amos  9  :  11-15.  Obadiah  1 :  31. 
Micah  4:  1-3;  5:  2.  Hab.  2:  14.  Zeph.  2:  11;  3:  8,9. 
Hag.  2  :  6,  7.  Zech.  6  :  12,  13  ;  9  :  9  ;  13  :  17.  Mai.  3  :  1-3  ; 
4  :  5.  From  the  Major  prophets  :  Is.  7  :  14-16  ;  9  :  1-7  ;  53  : 
1-12.  Jer.  33  :  15-17.  Ezek.  chs.  38,  39,  40-48.  Dan.  2  : 
44-45  ;  9  :  24-27.] 


PROPHETS  OF  THE  KINGDOM  OF  ISRAEL. 

They  should  not  be  taken  at  random,  for  there  is  order  here. 
They  must  not  be  massed  together,  nor  isolated,  so  that  the 
connection  may  be  lost.     They  were  part  of  the  divine  scheme. 


PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY.  35 

a  system  of  training  to  which  the  Israelites  were  subjected,  and 
were  conceived  in  order.  The  ministry  of  each  particular 
prophet  fills  its  appropriate  place  in  the  era  to  which  he  be- 
longs.    The  complete  study  of  the  prophets  embraces : 

1.  Each  book  in  its  own  individual  character,  and  absolute 
amount  of  prophecy  which  it  contains. 

2.  In  its  relation  to  its  own  group  or  period.  The  functions 
which  belong  to  it  individually. 

3.  Relation  of  the  mission  of  each  period  to  the  grand  sys- 
tem of  prophetic  teaching  which  embraces  all  the  prophets. 

4.  Relation  of  the  work  of  preparation  considered  as  a  whole 
to  the  entire  scheme  of  training  to  which  Israel  was  subjected 
under  the  whole  0.  T.,  for  this  preparation  by  the  medium  of 
the  prophets  is  only  a  part  in  a  greater  whole,  a.  Legal  prep- 
aration by  Moses,  h.  Providential  preparation  by  the  history 
of  the  people  in  the  historical  books — negative  and  positive. 
c.  Individual  preparation :  the  subjective  preparation  in  the 
poetical  books,  the  religious  experiences  of  inspired  and  sancti- 
fied men,  their  inward  and  outward  trials  which  have  their  bear- 
ing upon  the  Son  of  Man. 

We  begin  with  the  consideration  of  the  prophets  of  Israel, 
because  : 

(1.)  This  is  probably  the  chronological  order.  Although  the 
prophets  of  Israel  are  in  general  synchronous  with  the  first 
periods  of  Judah,  yet  Hosea,  the  first  prophet  of  Israel,  began 
before  Joel. 

(2.)  It  enables  us  to  complete  the  prophets  of  one  kingdom 
before  beginning  the  others. 

(3.)  The  future  disclosures  made  to  Israel,  as  well  as  the  reve- 
lations concerning;  the  Messiah,  are  less  full  and  clear  than 
those  granted  to  the  prophets  of  Judah,  and  thus  there  is  prog- 
ress. In  order  to  understand  the  whole  character  of  their  min- 
istries we  must  look  at  the  providential  circumstances  which 
determined  their  character. 

I.  Intrinsic  character  of  the  kingdom  and  the  domestic  and 
foreign  relations  of  Israel. 

a.  It  was  inherently  sinful  in  character,  being  founded  on 
schism  and  apostasy,  leaving  the  true  worship  of  God  in 
Jerusalem  for  the  worship  of  false  gods  in  Bethel  and  Dan. 
The  very  existence  of  this  kingdom  was  a  crime  against  God. 
The  perpetuity  of  the  kingdom  involves  this  twofold  guilt. 

h.  There  was  universal  corruption.  (1)  The  kings  univers- 
ally were  wicked,  in  Judah  some  were  good.  (2)  The  abandon- 
ment, by  the  people,  of  the  true  worship  of   God,  followed  by 


■S6 


PBOPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY. 


awful  sins  and  violence,  which  are  rebuked  by  the  prophets,  in 
both  princes  and  people.  One  of  the  fruits  of  this  is  to  be 
found  in  the  fact  that  there  was  no  regular  hereditary  succes- 
sion to  the  throne,  but  many  usurpations  and  regicides  and  in- 
terregnums. Four  out  of  seven  kings  during  the  ministry  of 
this  period  were  murdered,  and  only  two  transmitted  the  crown 
to  their  descendants,  and  this  in  one  generation.  There  were 
repeated  civil  wars,  and  two  periods  of  anarchy,  during  which 
no  monarch  sat  upon  the  throne  for  several  years.  This  seems 
to  be  a  necessary  inference  from  the  history,  though  not  ex- 
pressly stated.  The  ten  tribes  having  thus  cut  themselves  off 
from  the  people  of  God  and  his  divinely  appointed  worship,  and 
having  become  more  opposite  to  the  character  of  God's  chosen 
people,  the  question  arises,  How  will  God  treat  them  and  deal 
with  them  ?  The  books  of  Chronicles  omit  the  history  of  the 
ten  tribes  altogether,  as  not  belonging  to  the  theocratic  history 
of  the  kingdom  of  God  at  all,  and  confines  itself  to  Judah. 

II.  Purpose  of  God  respecting  it. 

a.  His  forbearance  hitherto  is  shown  by  preserving  it  for 
nearly  two  hundred  years  in  a  moderate  state  of  peace  and 
prosperity.  The  schism  began  Avith  the  revolt  of  Jeroboam  I., 
B.  C.  975;  death  of  Jeroboam  IL,  B,  C.  784;  shortly  before 
which  the  latter  period  begins,  and  the  period  of  the  prophecy 
of  Hosea. 

6.  God's  favor  is  shown  by  interi'upting  the  course  of  degra- 
dation from  Jeroboam  to  Ahab,  by  :  (1)  Ministries  of  Elijah  and 
Elisha.  (2)  After  Ahab,  by  placing  on  the  throne  the  princes 
of  Jehu.  Jehu  was  made  king,  886  B.  C.  The  first  century 
of  the  schism,  or,  more  exactly,  the  first  90  years  from  the 
original  revolt  of  Jeroboam  to  the  fall  of  the  house  of  Ahab, 
was  one  of  growing  corruption,  until  Ahab  and  his  heathen 
wife  renounced  the  worship  of  God  entirely  for  the  heathen 
gods.  This  process  of  degradation  was  broken  off  by  placing 
Jehu  on  the  throne.  The  preparation  for  this  was  made  by  the 
period  of  Elijah  and  Elisha,  Avhose  ministry  extended  to  Joash, 
the  grandson  of  Jehu,  and  under  Jehu  there  Avas  a  zealous  re- 
form, for  which  he  was  commended  by  God.  Although  the 
golden  calves  were  stiM  retained,  Jehu  Avas  of  marked  ability, 
and  the  princes  remained  for  four  reigns,  upward  of  a  century, 
as  God  had  promised  to  Jehu,  2  Kings  10  :  3.  Under  the 
reign  of  these  princes  there  was  prosperity  to  Israel,  and  de- 
liverance from  their  foreign  oppressors,  and  victory  over  them. 
Under  Jeroboam  II.  there  was  an  extension  of  the  kingdom  to 
the  limits  reached  by  Solomon,  2  Kings  14  :  25. 


PBOPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY.  37 

c.  The  raising  up  of  prophets  to  labor  among  them  for  their 
admonition  and  salvation,  and  to  show  that  they  were  not  yet 
to  be  cast  off,  combined  ministries  of  Hosea,  Amos,  Jonah,  be- 
sides others,  as  Oded,  2  Chron.  28  :  9,  and  many  more.  All 
these  measures  failed  to  effect  any  thorough  reform  of  the  peo- 
ple of  God  at  large,  and  the  period  of  forbearance  was  drawing 
to  a  close,  and  was  to  be  followed  by  one  of  judgment..  The 
term  of  the  house  of  Jehu  was  nearly  at  an  end  ;  his  third  de- 
scendant, Jeroboam  II.,  had  nearly  reached  the  end  of  his 
reign.  His  successor,  Zachariah,  was  to  reign  only  six  months' 
The  great  Assyrian  power  (B.  C.  721)  was  to  overthrow  Israel, 
capture  Samaria,  and  take  the  people  into  captivity. 

The  character  of  the  people  and  the  designs  of  God  respect- 
ing them  are  the  main  elements  that  determine  their  necessi- 
ties and  show  the  nature  of  the  ministry.  This  ministry  was 
not  to  be  exercised  by  a  single  individual.  Even  as  our  Lord 
sent  out  his  disciples  two  by  two,  both  for  mutual  aid  and  coun- 
tenance, as  well  as  that  in  the  mouths  of  two  or  three  witnesses 
his  word  should  be  established,  so  here  the  prophets  were  to 
supplement  each  other,  to  seize  the  truth  on  different  sides,  to 
teach  distinct  though  related  lessons.  In  regard  to  Hosea, 
Amos,  and  Jonah,  there  was  not  the  full  amount  of  instruction 
in  any  one  of  them,  but  in  the  combination  of  the  lessons  which 
they  severally  teach  and  in  regarding  them  all  together  as  one 
united  ministry.  Yet  we  must  not  lose  sight  of  their  individ- 
ual peculiarities.  We  must  show  their  close  connection,  and 
how  each  had  his  own  distinctive  mission  to  fulfill,  but  all  har- 
monize and  co-operate  in  the  accomplishment  of  the  common 
end.  It  is  apparent  that  a  people  so  given  to  sin,  and  in  the 
prospect  of  judgment,  needed  : 

1.  A  ministry  of  rebuke  and  denunciation.  This  is  a  char- 
acteristic of  these  three  prophets,  and  is  in  marked  contrast 
with  the  three  prophets  of  Judah.  This  denunciation  and  re- 
buke is  administered  by  Hosea  directly,  Jonah  indirectly,  Amos 
in  both  ways.  Hosea  and  Amos  performed  their  direct  work 
by  threatening  in  so  many  teruis  the  complete  destruction  of 
the  kingdom,  and  foretelling  the  captivity  and  rejection  of  the 
mass  of  the  people,  and  this  occupies  the  bulk  -of  these  books, 
only  a  few  verses  containing  a  promise  of  merc3^  Amos 
threatens  the  overthrow  of  many  nations  around  Israel  who  are 
less  guilty  than  Israel,  while  as  to  the  great  power  Assyria, 
which  was  around  Israel,  he  says  not  a  word,  leaving  it  to  be 
inferred  that  they  are  to  finish  their  mission  of  destroying  Israel. 
Jonah  also  shows  indirect  proof  of  the  same  'fact.     The  Nine- 


38  PBOPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY. 

vites  are  less  obdurate  than  Israel,  and  the  actual  destruction  of 
Nineveh  is  postponed.  Yet  the  promises  of  God  are  not  to  be 
frustrated,  mercy  was  in  store  for  them  and  for  the  world,  for 
which  the  judgment  was  to  be  a  means  to  an  end.  No  prom- 
ises whatever  of  the  proximate  future  are  given  to  Israel,  noth- 
ing to  break  the  full  force  of  the  impending  judgment,  so  that 
this  judgment  might  be  averted.  For  the  present  all  is  dark, 
but  there  is  a  brighter  prospect  beyond,  after  the  work  of  judg- 
ment shall  be  accomplished. 

2.  With  an  entire  absence  of  all  promises  for  the  present, 
they  nevertheless  point  forward  to  Messianic  blessings.  Noth- 
ing is  said  about  the  person  of  the  Messiah,  but  only  about  the 
Messianic  period,  which  is  different  from  th6  contemporaneous 
prophets  of  Judah,  e.  g.,  Isaiah  and  Micah.  There  the  person 
of  Messiah  is  treated  of  (a)  in  a  more  obscure  form,  sufficient 
for  present  purpose  to  comfort  them  ;  (6)  not  the  same  necessi- 
ty to  give  marks  to  a  kingdom  which  was  to  end  long  before 
the  advent  of  the  Messiah.  For  similar  reasons,  the  Messianic 
period  is  not  largely  and  fully  dwelt  upon  by  these  prophets  of 
Israel.  They  make  a  contrast  between  the  evils  of  the  present, 
and  the  glories  of  the  future. 

1.  The  attitudes  and  revelations  of  the  prophets  are  different. 
Hosea  and  Amos  are  explicit,  use  express  terms,  Jonah  impli- 
cit, by  actions  which  foreshadow  the  future. 

2.  There  is  a  difference  in  the  extent  of  the  revelations  them- 
selves respecting  the  Messianic  period.  Hosea  tells  only  of 
the  blessin^rs  to  Israel,  Jonah  of  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  and 
Amos  speaks  of  both.  He  unites  with  Hosea  in  announcing 
that  the  destruction  of  the  kingdom  is  a  necessary  antecedent 
to  the  fulfillment  of  their  hopes.  That  they  shall  be  returned  to 
God  by  these,  and  be  re-united  to  Judah,  and  then  the  blessing 
shall  come.  Amos,  with  Jonah,  tells  of  the  future  calling  of 
the. Gentiles,  but  in  a  different  way,  and  different  aspect.  Amos 
foretells  the  spiritual  subjugation  of  the  heathen,  by  a  power 
from  Israel.  Jonah  treats  of  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  to 
all  nations,  and  embraced  by  them  voluntarily,  while  Israel  re- 
mains impenitent  and  unbelieving.  The  calling  of  the  Gentiles 
is  implicitly  connected  by  Jonah  with  the  rejection  of  the 
Jews.     From  the  N.  T.  we  see  that  both  were  fulfilled. 

3.  Personal  Relations. — Knowledge  on  this  matter  is  scant3^ 
The  only  thing  mentioned  of  Hosea  is  the  name  of  his  father. 
The  residence  and  occupation  of  Amos  is  given.  The  residence 
and  father  of  Jonah. 

4.  Citizenship. — Hosea  and  Jonah  belong  to  the  kingdom  of 


PBOPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY.  39 

Israel.  Amos  lived  in  Judah,  but  ministered  to  Israel.  It  is 
not  stated  concerning  Hosea,  but  is  inferred  from  knowledge 
concerning  the  others. 

5.  Scene  of  their  Ministry. — Hosea  in  the  ten  tribes ;  No 
particular  place  mentioned.  Amos  in  Bethel,  7  :  13.  Jonah 
in  Nineveh. 

6.  Their  writings. — Hosea  a  resume  or  abstract  of  a  long 
ministry.  Jonah  and  Amos  record  a  single  brief  mission,  which 
in  the  case  of  Amos  was  a  mission  from  Israel  to  Judah.  It 
may  have  been  the  whole  of  his  prophetic  career,  but  in  the 
case  of  Jonah  it  was  not,  2  Kings  14  :  25. 

7.  Messianic  teaching. — The  prophets  of  Israel  do  not  advance 
much  on  the  promises  made  to  David,  but  they  are  reiterated 
and  re-enforced,  expanded  in  the  case  of  Judah. 

8.  Theme. — Hosea  exclusively  treats  of  the  duty  and  destiny 
of  the  covenant  people.  Amos  relates  both  to  the  covenant 
people  and  Gentile  nations  ;  Jonah  exclusively  to  a  particular 
Gentile  nation. 

9.  Form  of  the  Prophecies. — Hosea  and  Jonah  symbolic 
actions;  Amos  symbolic  visions. 

10.  All  are  recognized  and  referred  to  in  the  N.  T.  Hosea 
in  Rom.  9:  25  ;  1  Pet.  2  .  10.  Amos,  James  in  Acts  15  :  16. 
Jonah  by  our  Lord,  Matt.  12 :  39-41. 


HOSEA. 

PERSON  AND  BOOK. 


Name,  salvation  ;  from  which  we  may  perhaps  infer  that  he 
was  from  pious  parents.  It  is  the  original  name  of  Joshua, 
Num.  13  :  8,  16.  Also,  the  name  of  the  last  king  of  Israel, 
2  Kings  15  :  30.  He  was  the  son  of  Beeri,  the  mention  of 
whom  does  not  prove  him  to  have  been  a  person  of  distinction, 
nor  a  prophet,  according  to  the  Rabbins,  who  say  that  whenever 
the  name  of  the  father  of  the  prophet  is  given,  the  father  also 
was  a  prophet.  It  is  simply  the  oriental  mode  of  supplying  the 
lack  of  family  names. 

It  is  probable  that,  like  most  of  the  other  prophets,  he  was  a 
native  of  Israel,  (a.)  If  not  we  should  expect  it  to  be  expressly 
mentioned,  as  in  the  case  of  Amos,  {h.)  The  places  mentioned 
in  Hosea  belong  to  the  ten  tribes,  and  the  events  belong  to  the 


40  PBOFHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

history  of  the  ten  tribes,  (c.)  Especially  (7  :  5)  "  our  king," 
and  such  expressions  as  "  the  land  "  (1  :  2)  "I  have  seen  " 
(6  :  10).     These  indicate  a  knowledge  of  the  land. 

Some  have  urged  that  there  are  unusual  forms  in  the  book 
which  betray  the  northern  idiom,  but  not  enough  is  known  of  the 
Hebrew  idioms  to  warrant  such  a  statement. 

Some  have  objected  to  the  view  of  the  prophet's  belonging  to 
the  ten  tribes  ;  that  the  title  of  the  book  indicates  that  he  was  of 
Judah,  because  he  names  the  kings  of  Judah,  in  whose 
reigns  he  prophesied.  The  kings  of  Judah  are  mentioned  in 
full,  while  of  the  kings  of  Israel,  only  Jeroboam  is  mentioned. 
The  explanation  of  this  is  not  that  he  lived  in  Judah,  but  that 
he  did  not  recognize  the  right  of  the  schism  of  Israel,  and  that 
the  king  of  the  house  of  Judah  was  the  only  lawful  king. 
This  is  shown  by  other  passages,  8:4,  "  They  have  set  up 
kings,  but  not  by  me  ;"  and  in  3  :  5,  they  are  to  come  back  under 
the  rule  of  Judah.  To  these  kings  of  Judah,  he  adds  the  name 
of  Jeroboam,  king  of  Israel,  for  a  double  reason.  (a.)  To 
indicate  more  exactly  the  beginning  of  his  ministry.  Uzziah's 
reign  lasted  until  26  years  after  the  death  of  Jeroboam,  but  it 
was  in  that  part  of  Uzziah's  reign  when  Jeroboam  was  still 
living,  that  he  began  his  ministry,  (b.)  Because  God  by  His 
providence  gave  a  certain  kind  of  sanction  to  Jeroboam  as  one 
of  the  princes  of  Jehu,  vide  2  Kings  14  :  25-29,  "  He  saved 
them  by  Jeroboam  the  son  of  Joash." 

Ewald  has  a  kind  of  intermediate  theory,  viz.:  that  the 
prophet  at  first  belonged  to  Israel,  but  on  account  of  opposition, 
he  removed  to  Judah. 

Marriage. — As  to  the  account  of  the  prophet's  marriage, 
from  ancient  times  interpreters  have  been  divided.  Was'  his 
faithless  wife  an  allegory  or  a  fact?  In  either  case  it  was 
certainly  symbolical  of  the  Lord's  relation  to  His  erring  people. 
It  is  improbable  that  it  was  a  literal  occurence,  for 

1.  God  would  not  have  commanded  a  holy  prophet  to  form 
such  a  connection.  Though  it  is  not  a  command  to  form  a 
sinful  connection,  as  some  have  maintained,  yet  it  was  certainly 
a  revolting  one,  would  subject  him  to  an  endless  amount  of 
scandal,  and  thus  destroy  his  influence. 

2.  The  law  of  Moses  (Lev.  21  :  7)  forbade  a  priest  to  marry 
an  unchaste  woman.  In  regard  to  this,  the  law  of  ceremonial 
purity  relative  to  the  priesthood  is  not  to  be  applied  to  the 
prophet,  for  the  priest  would  not  even  marry  a  divorced  woman. 
The  high  priest  (Lev.  21  :  13,  14)  could  not  marry  a  widow. 
But  the  prophets  were  nevertheless  a  sacred  order  of  men  as 


PliOPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY.  41 

well  as  the  priests,  and  God  would  not  specially  direct  them  to 
form  alliances  of  this  kind. 

3.  An  argument  from  the  third  chapter  in  which  the  prophet 
is  again  required  to  form  another  such  connection,  without  any 
intimation  that  the  former  wife  is  dead  or  put  away.  Is  this  a 
direction  to  renew  his  connection  with  the  woman?  Or  is  it  a 
direction  to  marry  irrespective  of  the  command  ? 

4.  Significant  names  of  the  children  of  this  woman  seem  to 
show  that  it  was  merely  allegorical. 

5.  The  action  of  the  first  chapter  would  require  years  for  its 
performance,  requiring  not  only  his  marriage,  but  the  birth  of 
several  children. 

The  symbolic  lesson  would  be  lost  entirely,  and  the  people 
would  think  of  the  scandal.  The  marriage  is  simply  an  allesrorv. 
[W.  H.  G.]  =>  F  J  s    J' 

Date. — "  The  word  of  the  Lord  that  came  unto  Hosea,  the  son 
of  Beeri,  in  the  days  of  Uzziah,  Jotham,  Ahaz,  and  Hezekiah, 
kings  of  Judah,  and  in  the  days  of  Jeroboam,  the  son  of  Joash, 
king  of  Israel,"  Hosea  1  :  1. 

Duration  of  Ministry. — Hosea  1  :  1,  Uzziah  reigned  52  years, 
Jotham  16,  Ahaz  16,  Hezekiah  29,  in  all  113.  It  can  not  be 
supposed  that  Hosea  was  prophet  during  the  entire  reigns  of 
all  these.  Jeroboam  II.  died  784  B.  C.  Uzziah  survived  him 
26  or  27  years.  From  the  death  of  Jeroboam  to  the  accession 
of  Hezekiah,  was  58  years.  Supposing  Hosea  was  prophet 
one  year  under  Jeroboam,  and  one  year  under  Hezekiah,  his 
ministry  would  have  been  sixty  years  in  length.  We  are  not  in- 
formed whether  Hosea  lived  to  see  the  overthrow  of  Samaria 
or  not.  If  so,  his  ministry  would  be  65  years.  If  he  began  his 
ministry  when  20,  he  was  85  Avhen  he  died,  the  oldest  of  all  the 
prophets.  Tlie  truth  of  the  title  has  been  impugned.  In  answer 
to  the  charge  that  these  statements  are  false,  we  answer  : 

1.  Those  who  make  them  are  not  agreed  among  themselves  as 
to  the  length  of  his  ministry.  Some  say  55,  others  40,  others 
30,  others  20,  and  others  still  less.  This  disagreement  betrays 
the  insufficiency  of  the  data. 

2.  The  method  pursued  by  them  is  inadmissible.  They  assume 
the  ministry  of  the  prophet  terminated  immediately  after  the 
latest  event  recorded  in  the  prophecy,  and  that  the  absence  of 
allusion  to  any  important  event  shows  that  it  did  not  occur 
during  his  ministry,  but  Hosea  was  not  intending  to  give  a  his- 
tory of  all  events.  Ewald  says  he  makes  no  mention  of  the  in- 
vasion by  the  king  of  Assyria,  and  therefore  it  can  not  have 
transpired  during  his  ministry,  or  he  surely  would  have  alluded 


42  PBOPMETS  AND  PBOPHECY. 

to  it.  Simpson  finds  an  allusion  to  the  assassination  of  Mena- 
hem  son  of  Pekahiah. 

3,  The  truth  is  directly  established  by  the  statements  of  the 
book  itself.  In  1 :  4,  the  fall  of  the  house  of  Jehu  is  predicted 
as  still  future.  With  the  exception  of  six  months  Jeroboam 
was  the  last  king,  hence  Hosea's  ministry  must  have  begun  in 
the  reign  of  Jeroboam.  In  lO  :  14,  "  as  Shalman  spoiled  Beth- 
arbel  in  the  day  of  battle."  Beth-arbel  is  Arbela,  a  fortified 
town  in  Galilee ;  Shalman  is  Shalmaneser,  whose  invasion  was 
under  Hosea  the  last  king  of  Israel,  which  brings  us  almost 
to  the  reign  of  Hezekiah.  From  the  former  passage  he  must 
have  begun  in  the  reign  of  Jeroboam ;  from  the  latter  passage 
he  must  have  continued  to  Hezekiah. 

Structure  of  the  Book. — Critics  are  divided.  From  the  brevity 
of  the  book  it  is  not  probable  that  it  contains  all  the  prophecies 
Hosea  ever  uttered.  Does  not  contain  distinct  discourses  which 
we  can  state  particularly,  and  their  date  be  ascertained.  Dr. 
Wells  says  there  are  five  discourses  in  chronological  order. 
German  critics  go  to  the  most  unwarrantable  extremes,  multi- 
plying these  divisions,  saying  that  the  book  is  compiled  with- 
out any  order  at  all.  Maurer  says  13  discourses  ;  others  say  29; 
some  17,  14,  etc.,  and  others  many  more.  Each  paragraph  is 
searched  to  find  an  historical  statement  as  the  theme  of  discourse. 
The  book  is  not  a  congeries  of  fragments,  but  is  one  con- 
tinuous composition  prepared  by  him  near  the  close  of  his  min- 
istry, and  having  in  condensed  form  the  discourses  of  his  min- 
istry. He  simply  places  upon  record  what  is  of  permanent  value 
to  the  people  of  God  in  such  a  form  as  would  suit  best  his  im- 
mediate purposes. 

Ewald  proposes  an  ingenious  but  artificial  division.  He  says 
there  are  two  parts  corresponding  to  the  two  allegories  in  chaps. 
1  and  2.  1-2  are  the  first  part  of  the  allegory,  and  the  com- 
ments;  the  remainder,  3-14,  is  the  second  part  of  the  allegory 
and  comments.  This  last  comment  has  three  parts  :  1,  Charge 
of  sin  against  the  people,  and  against  particular  classes  ;  2,  De- 
nunciation of  punishment ;  3,  Two  retrospects  of  ancient  and 
better  days. 

Perhaps  the  most  satisfactory  division  is  based  upon  the  liter- 
ary form  of  the  book.  The  first  three  chapters  are  emblematic. 
The  second  part  of  the  book,  from  4th  to  14th  chapter,  is  literal. 
Agreeably  to  a  hint  furnished  by  chap.  1  :  2,  the  former  may  be 
considered  as  the  earlier  part  of  the  prophet's  ministry.  This 
comes  to  the  contents  of  the  next.  In  this  the  people  are 
charged  with  outward  sins.     From  the  4th  chapter  the  tone  of 


PROPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY.  43 

the  book  manifestly  changes,  and  the  latter  division  reflects  the 
turbulent  period,  regicides,  etc.  Reason  in  the  first  three  chap- 
ters for  the  overthrow  of  the  kingdom  clearly  foretold,  and  an- 
nouncing who  shall  be  the  authors  of  that  judgment.  In  the 
first  part  of  the  book,  the  Assyrians  are  not  mentioned  by 
name,  but  in  the  subsequent  chapters  they  are  named.  In  each 
of  these  three  main  sections  of  the  book  are  three  Messianic 
passages,  making  the  ends  of  as  many  subdivisions.  Those  in 
the  first  section  occur  at  the  close  of  each  of  the  first  three  chap- 
ters. In  the  second  section  are  three  promissory  passages, 
6 :  1-3  ;  11  :  8-11  ;  14  :  1-9.  The  passages  are  not  only  of  in- 
creasing length,  but  are  of  growing  fullness  and  power.  They 
are  climactic  in  thought.  Predictions  of  the  book  relate  partly 
to  the  near  and  partly  to  the  remote  future. 

PREDICTIONS   OF   HOSE  A. 

I.  Nearer  predictions  :  (a)  ch.  1  :  4,  overthrow  of  the  house 
of  Jehu,  cf.  2  Kings  10  :  30  ;  15  :  10,  12.  (h)  The  complete  de- 
struction of  the  kingdom  of  the  ten  tribes,  the  exile  of  the  people, 
and  the  desolations  of  the  land,  1 :  4-6 ;  2  :  11-13  ;  3:4,  et 
passim. 

Locality  of  the  Exile. — Forms  of  statement  vary,  and  appear 
to  conflict.  8:  13,  "They  shall  return  to  Egypt."  9:6, 
"  ^gyP^  ^^^^^^  gather  them  up,  Memphis  shall  bury  them."  But, 
on  the  other  hand,  11  :  5,  "  He  shall  not  return  into  the  land  of 
Egypt,  but  the  Assyrian  shall  be  his  king,  because  they  refused 
to  return."  9:3,  "  They  shall  not  dwell  in  the  Lord's  land  ; 
but  Ephraim  shall  return  to  Egypt,  and  they  shall  eat  unclean 
things  in  Assyria."  11  :  11,  "  They  shall  tremble  as  a  bird  out 
of  Egypt,  and  as  a  dove  out  of  the  land  of  Assyria,"  These 
varying  declarations  seem  to  be  :  (a)  They  shall  be  carried  into 
Egypt;  ih)  not  into  Egypt,  but  Assyria;  (c)  both  into  Egypt 
and  Assyria.  There  is,  however,  no  contradiction  here.  It  is 
not  necessary  to  sunpose  that  the  prophet  was  of  different  mind 
in  different  periods  of  his  ministry.  The  meaning  either  is,  (a) 
That  while  a  portion  of  the  people  shall  be  scattered  into  Egypt, 
and  find  graves  there,  the  bulk  of  them  shall  not  go  there,  but 
to  Assyria,  (h)  Egypt  is  here  introduced  in  a  symbolic  sense 
as  the  land  in  which  their  fathers  had  been  in  bondage,  and  they 
should  be  carried  not  into  literal  Egypt,  but  to  a  land  which  shall 
be  to  themselves  what  Egypt  had  been  to  their  fathers. 

In  1 :  7,  he  predicts  that  Judah  shall  not  fall  as  Israel,  but 
shall  be  miraculously  delivered.  Cf.  2  Kings  19  :  35,  host  of  Sen- 
nacherib smitten  by  an  angel.     8  :  14,  subsequent  destruction 


44  PBOPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY. 

of  Judah's  cities  is  directly  threatened.  The  captivity  is  not 
predicted,  but  presupposed,  1 :  11,  and  2  Kings  25  :  8,  9,  The 
destruction  of  the  palaces  of  Judah  by  fire  was  fulfilled  130 
years  after  his  death. 

II.  In  addition  to  these  predictions,  H.  predicts  four  bless- 
ings belonging  to  the  remote  future.  («)  1 :  10,  Immense 
multiplication  of  Israel,  as  the  sand  of  the  sea.  {h)  Return 
to  God  and  enjoyment  of  his  favor,  2 :  20,  21.  (c)  Union 
with  Judnh  under  King  David,  the  lawful  prince  of  David's 
line,  1  :  11  ;  3  :  5.  {d)  Their  return  thus  united  from  the  land 
of  their  captivity,  1 :  11 ;  11 :  11. 

Each  of  these  is  disclosed  in  contrast  with  existing  and 
threatening  evils.  These  evils  are :  (a)  The  impending  de- 
struction of  the  kingdom;  (5)  Their  apostasy  from  God;  (c) 
Their  schism  from  Judah:  {d)  Threatened  captivity.  From 
the  judgments  upon  Israel,  they  might  fear  they  would  be  ex- 
tirpated, and  what  is  to  become  of  the  promises?  H.  discloses 
that  the  promises  shall  abide  in  their  full  force.  The  work  of 
purgation  shall  be  the  means  of  fulfilling  the  promise.  The 
schism  between  Israel  and  Judah  shall  terminate.  In  what  are 
we  to  look  for  the  fulfillment  of  these  predictions  of  blessings? 
They  were  partially  fulfilled  before  Christ.  When  some  of  the 
Israelites  were  mingled  with  the  tribe  of  Judah  in  the  return 
under  Zerubbabel  they  never  relapsed  into  idolatry,  2  Chron. 
10:  17;  11  :  13-16.  This  blending  began  before  the  captivity 
by  emigration.  It  is  further  asserted  that  the  ten  tribes  were 
carried  into  the  same  land,  into  which  Judah  was  subsequently 
carried — Babylon.  Mention  is  particularly  made  of  Levi,  Ben- 
jamin, Ephraira,  and  Manasseh  being  with  Judah  in  settling 
Jerusalem,  1  Chron.  9  :  2,  3.  After  return  from  exile  they  are 
repeatedly  called  Israel,  Rom.  9  :  6;  11:  26;  Kzra  2  :  70 ;  6  : 
16,  17.  The  twelve  tribes  are  recognized  in  the  N.  T.,  Acts 
26  :  7.  Paul  was  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  Phil.  3:5;  Anna, 
tribe  of  Asher,  Luke  2  :  36.  While  here  are  incipient  and 
partial  fulfillments,  we  do  not  find  what  corresponds  particu- 
larly and  directly  to  the  terms  of  the  predictions.  There  was 
no  multitude,  as  predicted,  no  complete  conversion  to  God,  no 
inalienable  possession  of  God's  favor.  The  entire  body  of 
Israel  was  not  united  to  Judah.  Zerubbabel  was  not  king,  and 
all  Israel  do  not  return.  As  inadequately  met  before  the  com- 
ing of  Christ,  we  must  look  for  the  residue  since  his  coming. 

This  is  explained  in  two  ways,  (a)  The  lineal  descendants 
of  the  patriarchs,  Israel ;  (h)  the  spiritual  seed,  those  wiio  are 
successors    to  the  privileges  of  Israel.     If  we  adopt  the  former, 


PROPHETS  AXD  PROPHECY.  45 

the  substance  of  the  prediction  is  that  the  lineal  descendants 
will  be  as  numerous  as  the  sands  of  the  sea,  be  converted  to 
God,  and  made  His  people.  The  theocratic  king  of  the  house 
of  David  will  be  Christ  on  an  earthly  throne  ;  thus  the  pre- 
diction becomes  a  wholly  national  one,  only  applied  to  the  ten 
tribes,  or,  at  most,  to  the  descendants  of  Jacob.  Any  other 
application  is  subversive  of  any  real  intent.  According  to  the 
other  view  the  descendants  of  Israel  are  to  be  converted  not  in 
the  lineal  descent  of  the  tribes,  but  in  a  spiritual  succession.  In 
favor  of  this  latter  view,  it  is  urged  : 

1.  Israel  as  God's  people,  and  in  the  sense  of  the  promise 
never  was  co-extensive  with  Abraham's  natural  posterity.  Some 
excluded,  others  outside  included.  Ishmael  and  the  sons  of  Ke- 
turah  cut  off.  The  descent  was  counted  in  the  line  of  Isaac, 
Esau  Avas  cut  off,  and  the  line  counted  from  Jacob.  A  pro- 
vision was  made  at  the  same  time  to  give  the  seal  of  circumcision 
to  those  in  the  house  of  Abraham.  In  every  period  of  the  his- 
tory of  God's  people  has  this  been  the  case,  Ex.  12:  38-49' 
Multiplication  in  Egypt  a  mixed  multitude,  Ex.  12 :  49. 
Strangers  as  those  born  in  the  land,  at  the  same  time  those  who 
violated  the  covenant  were  cut  off  from  the  people,  Gen.  17  :  14. 
This  excision  might  occu?r  on  a  large  or  small  scale,  might  affect 
individuals  or  whole  nations,  Ex.  1  :  10, — the  ten  tribes  rejected. 
2  Kings  17 :  18,  God  was  angry  with  Israel.  When  Christ 
came,  another  great  excision  occurred  ;  those  who  received 
Christ  were  called  the  true  Israel,  all  others  being  apostates. 
It  was  the  faithful  few  who  inherited  the  promises,  and  at  the 
the  same  time  their  numbers  were  increased  by  believing  Gen- 
tiles, and  thus  the  continuity  was  preserved.  God  did  not  have 
one  people  under  the  0.  T.,  and  another  under  the  N.  T.,  not 
one  church  then,  and  another  now.  It  was  Israel  then  and  is 
Israel  still,  by  a  regular  succession.  Israel  was  a  church  as 
well  as  a  nation,  and  the  promises  were  to  Israel  as  a  church. 
In  the  light  of  the  history  of  the  case,  believers  are  those  to 
whom  the  promises  were  made,  and  the  church  of  the  0.  T. 
continued  in  that  of  the  N.  T. 

2.  The  abundant  and  explicit  testimony  of  the  N.  T.  favors 
this  view,  John  8  :  39  ;  Gal.  3  :  7  ;  3 :  28,  29  ;  Rom.  2  :  28, 
29;  4:  11,  12;  9  :  6,  8 ;  Rom.  11  argues  at  length  this  view 
in  the  grafting  in  of  the  Gentile  branch  to  the  original  olive  tree, 
and  the  ultimate  conversion  of  the  original  tree  ;  Eph.  2  :  12-20  ; 
Rev.  2:9;  3:9.  These  are  the  most  striking  representations 
that  believers  in  Christ  constitute  the  true  people  of  God. 

3.  That  this  Avas  the  view  taken  by  the  apostles,  and  by  them 


46  PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

made  current  in  the  early  church,  may  be  confirmed  in  this  : 
that  if  the  Jewish  converts  Avere  heirs  of  anything  particular 
in  the  church,  they  would  not  be  blended  with  others.  If  the 
promises  had  been  exclusively  to  the  descendants  of  the 
patriarchs  as  such,  they  would  not  have  been  permitted  to  blend 
with  Gentiles.  There  would  then  have  been  a  distinction 
between  Gentile  and  Jewish  church. 

4.  This  distinction  not  having  been  maintained  between  Jew- 
ish and  Gentile  converts,  it  would  now  lead  to  a  most  singular 
anomaly  to  claim  that  the  Jews  are  to  receive  honor  above  the 
Gentiles,  for  if  that  be  so  the  descendants  of  the  Jews  who  re- 
jected the  Messiah  when  he  came  are  to  be  exalted  above  those 
who  accepted  him,  for  only  the  former  can  be  recognized,  as 
the  latter  are  lost  in  their  union  with  the  Gentiles. 

5.  The  very  predictions  of  H.  now  in  question  are  applied 
by  two  apostles  to  believing  Gentiles  :  Paul  in  Rom.  9  :  25,  26 ; 
Peter  in  1  Pet.  2  :  9,  10.  Thus  applied  by  the  apostle  of  the 
uncircumcision  and  the  apostle  of  the  circumcision.  Other  ar- 
guments tending  to  the  same  conclusion  will  be  raised  in  taking 
up  other  prophets. 

Conclusion. — The  Christian  church  is  considered  as  a  body 
of  believers.  Christ  is  the  heir  of  the  promises,  and  it  is  to 
the  church  that  the  promises  are  to  be  fulfilled.  This  is  not 
expecting  a  promise  to  be  fulfilled  when  made  to  another.  Nor 
is  it  taking  a  promise  in  one  sense,  and  then  using  it  in  an- 
other, but  Israel,  in  the  Bible  sense,  is  the  Christian  church. 
This  is  what  the  Holy  Ghost  intended  in  the  promises.  This 
is  the  strict  meaning,  Israel  of  the  promise  are  the  people  of 
God,  for  (a)  true  believers  are  to  be  as  numerous  as  the  sands 
of  the  sea;  (h)  they  are  united  under  one  head;  they  should  be 
brought  back  to  Canaan.  The  church  derives  its  significance 
from  being  the  seat  of  God's  worship.  There  was  the  temple 
with  God's  special  presence  in  the  midst  of  it.  There  only 
could  sacrifice  be  offered.  To  be  expelled  from  that  land  was 
to  be  expelled  from  the  land  where  God  Avas,  and  to  be  brought 
back  to  this  land  was  to  be  restored  to  the  favor  of  God.  All 
worship  is  now  to  be  in  spirit  and  in  truth.  Every  land  may 
now  be  a  Canaan  to  God's  people,  but  the  lineal  descendants 
have  a  part  in  these  promises  of  God.  No  hope  now,  but 
there  shall  be  in  the  future.  They  are  as  truly  aliens  now  as 
ever  the  Gentiles  were,  but  when  they  believe  they  shall  be  the 
children  of  Abraham,  and  be  received  of  God. 


FBOPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY.  47 


AMOS. 


The  prophet  Amos  was  by  some  early  fiithers  confounded 
with  Amoz,  the  father  of  Isaiah.  This  mistake  arose  from  the 
two  words  being  alike  in  the  Greek.  They  are  altogether 
diflFerent  in  the  Hebrew.  Amos  means  burden ;  Amoz  means 
strength.  He  was  taken  from  the  herdsmen  of  Tekoa,  twelve 
Roman  miles  from  Jerusalem,  six  miles  south  of  Bethlehem. 
The  word  "  herdsfnan "  is  applied  to  the  king  of  Moab  as 
the  owner  of  flocks,  2  Kings  3  :  4.  Was  Amos  an  owner  of 
sheep,  or  a  tender  of  flocks  belonging  to  others  ?  We  learn 
that  he  did  not  own  them  from  7  :  14, 15.  Further  he  says  he 
was  not  a  prophet — nor  his  previous  vocation,  not  the  son  of  a 
prophet,  i.  e.,  he  had  not  been  taught  in  the  schools  of  the 
prophets  under  Elijah,  Elisha,  etc.  It  would  seem  that  he  was 
sent  on  this  single  errand  to  Israel  from  Judah,  and  this  may 
have  been  the  whole  of  his  ministry. 

Time. — The  time  of  the  delivery  of  this  message  is  seen  in 
1 :  1.  Compare  1  Kings  13  :  1.  The  time  is  still  further  de- 
fined by  saying  it  was  two  years  before  the  earthquake.  Zech- 
ariah  speaks  of  it,  14 :  5,  the  beginning  of  threatening  judg- 
ments. But  this  does  not  aid  us,  for  we  do  not  know  when  it 
took  place. 

Divisions. — Chs.  1-6,  literal ;  7-9,  allegorical ;  Amos  con- 
sists of  three  parts.  The  three  parts  are :  (a)  ch.  1  : 
2  ;  2:5,  introductory  ;  (b)  2  :  6;  9  :  10,  denunciatory;  (c)  9  : 
11-15,  promissory. 

Theme. — The  theme  is  announced  in  1  :  2,  a  sentence  partly 
taken  from  Joel  3 :  16.  (a)  He  does  so  first  in  a  preliminary 
denunciation  of  seven  nations  in  succession.  Six  contiguous 
Gentile  nations,  Syria,  Philistia,  Tyre,  Edom,  Ammon,  Moab, 
and  finally  Judah.  The  judgments  are  successive  stanzas  of 
like  construction,  suggesting  argument  a  fortiori.  If  these 
heathen  nations  are  to  be  punished,  how  much  more  Israel. 
The  heathen  are  generally  contemplated  as  the  foes  of  Israel; 
in  Amos  it  is  difi"erent.  Also,  if  Judah  is  punished,  how  much 
more  Israel.  These  denunciations  are  embraced  in  seven  stan- 
zas of  precisely  the  same  structure. 

The  sins  against  the  nations  are  ofi'enses  against  the  theocracy. 
In  the  case  of  Judah  the  sin  is  difi'erent.  The  highest  offense 
is  violation  of  God's  law.  Gentiles  vs.  the  maltreatment  of 
God's  people.  The  only  exception,  if  it  be  such,  is  the  charge 
in  2  :  1,  against  Moab — offense  against  the  Gentiles.  Because 
probably  at  this  time  Edom  was   a  subject    or  ally  of   Judah. 


48  PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

(b)  Then  follows  the  main  portion  of  the  book,  the  denuncia- 
tion against  Israel.  After  four  chapters  of  literal,  it  is  pre- 
sented in  the  form  of  five  symbolic  visions.  The  five  are  to 
represent  not  as  many  distinct  judgments,  but  are  to  be  taken 
together  as  the  same  judgment  in  diff'erent  figures. 

Visions. — 1.  The  first  vision,  7  :  1-3,  presents  the  instru- 
ments of  judgments,  grasshoppers,  under  the  symbol  of  devour- 
ing locusts,  being  the  symbol  of  foreign  foes. 

2.  The  second  sets  forth  the  source  of  these  judgments,  7 : 
4-7.  It  is  a  devouring  fire,  symbolical  of  God's  devouring 
wrath. 

8.  The  third  vision,  7 :  7-9,  exhibits  the  character  of  the 
judgments,  righteous  retribution.  A  plumb-line  is  seeii,  and 
all  that  is  not  perpendicular  is  thrown  down.  This  is  the  test 
of  their  uprightness.  Here  the  prophet  is  interrupted  by 
Amaziah,  the  priest  of  Bethel,  forbidding  him  to  prophesy  any 
longer,  and  telling  him  to  leave  the  country.  He  then  resumes 
the  series  of  his  visions  in  the  8th  chapter. 

4.  The  fourth  vision,  8  :  1-3,  is  intended  to  represent  the 
near  approach  of  judgments.  The  prophet  sees  a  basket  of 
summer  fruit,  and  Israel  is  shown  to  be  ripe  for  judgment.  It 
is  more  expressive  in  the  Hebrew  on  account  of  the  sound  of 
the  vowels. 

5.  Then  the  last  vision,  9  :  1,  the  actual  infliction  of  judg- 
ment. The  Lord  is  seen  standing  by  the  altar  of  idolati-y,  and 
striking  down  and  slaying.     The  idol  is  helpless  to  deliver. 

The  main  lessons  taught  by  Amos  are  identical  with  those 
taught  by  Hosea. 

Nearer  Predictions. — (a)  7  :  9,  The  house  of  Jeroboam  shall 
perish  by  the  sword:  fulfilled  in  2  Kings  15  :  10,  his  son  killed 
after  a  reign  of  six  months. 

(6)  He  predicts  further  the  destruction  of  the  kingdom,  the 
desolation  of  the  land,  and  the  exile  of  the  people,  which  was 
fulfilled  after  the  partial  deportation  by  Tighith-Pileser,  was 
completed  by  Shalmaneser,  king  of  Assyria,  2  Kings  17  :  6. 
This  occupies  the  main  body  of  the  book. 

(c)  6:  9-10,  Account  of  great  siege.  As  regards  the  fulfill- 
ment of  this  we  have  no  means  of  knowing,  but  from  2  Kings 
17:  5,  we  learn  that  the  siege  lasted  three  years;  and  2  Kings 
6  :  6-24,  shows  the  great  distress  of  Samaria,  famine  and  pesti- 
lence, on  a  former  occasion. 

id)  Predicts  that  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Amaziah  shall 
fall  by  the  sword,  and  he  himself  die  in  exile.  Of  this  we 
have  no  further  account — no  means  of  knowing  whether  the  pre- 
diction was  actually  fulfilled — no  history  on  the  matter. 


PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY.  49 

{e)  The  special  predictions  of  desolation  to  Israel,  3  :  14 ; 
visit  to  altars  of  Bethel,  3  :  14  ;  5  :  5 ;  Gilgal,  7  :  9 ;  cf ,  2  Kings 
18:  10-15. 

More  Remote  Predictions,  9  :  11-15. — Promissory  portion  told 
at  the  close  of  denunciation ;  9  :  8,  9,  that  the  exile  and  disper- 
sion would  not  be  a  total  destruction  of  the  people,  but  should 
be  a  sifting,  so  as  to  effect  a  separation  between  the  good  and 
bad;  the  good  are  to  remain.  The  fallen  and  ruined  tabernacle 
of  Tavid  should  be  raised  up,  repaired  and  restored,  9  :  11. 
This  means  David  and  his  royal  house  shall  be  restored  to 
former  splendor,  2 :  5.  The  fall  of  Judah  is  presupposed. 
That  it  is  spoken  of  as  fallen  is  not  sufficiently  explained  in 
that  in  his  time  the  rule  diminished  from  twelve  tribes  to 
Judah,  but  that  it  should  include  the  fall  of  Judah  also,  and 
should  entirely  fall  before  the  coming  of  Christ.  This  was  ful- 
filled in  the  fall  of  the  royal  line,  after  the  Babylonish  cap- 
tivity. The  house  of  David  ceased  to  be  royal,  and  was  re- 
duced to  a  private  condition,  but  in  Christ  this  kingdom  has 
been  restored.  The  tabernacle  of  David  has  been  set  up  in 
Christ. 

Again,  Amos  predicts  that  its  sway  shall  extend  over  Edom, 
and  all  the  heathen  which  are  called  by  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
9  :  12.  This  can  not  mean  only  those  nations  which  David  had 
overcome.  No  instance  can  be  adduced  of  an  application  of 
this  name  to  any  nation  because  it  was  tributary  to  Judah  or 
subject  to  it.  but  applied  to  the  covenant  people  of  God,  Deut. 
28  :  10.  "Called  by  the  name  of  the  Lord,"  wherever  used,  is 
applied  to  the  covenant  people  of  God,  2  Chron.  7  :  14 ;  Dan. 
9:  18,  J9;  Jer.  25:  29.  In  conformity  with  this  usage,  the 
meaning  here  must  be  that  the  re-created  kingdom  shall  bear 
sway  over  Edom  :\nd  other  heathen  nations,  which  shall  in  con- 
sequence become  a  part  of  the  covenant  people.  They  shall 
thenceforth  be  called  by  the  name  of  the  Lord.  The  conquest, 
from  this  description  of  it,  must  not  be  by  force  of  arms,  but 
conquered  in  a  spiritual  sense.  This,  therefore,  is  a  prophecy 
of  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles.  As  such  it  is  quoted  in  Acts 
15:  15-17. 

Further,  he  predicts  the  permanent  restoration  of  Israel  out 
of  captivity  to  their  own  land,  9  :  13-15,  and  never  to  be  re- 
moved from  it  again.  This  must  have  a  parallel  in  Hosea, 
partly  fulfilled  in  the  return  from  exile.  The  0.  T.  forms  must 
be  replaced  by  N.  T.  corresponding  things.  The  rest  was  ful- 
filled in  Christ.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  Hosea  and  Amos 
agree  entirely  in   predictions   of    the  proximate  future  or  Mes- 


50  PEOPBETS  AND  PBOPHECY. 

sianic  period.  They  predict  the  fall  of  the  house  of  Jeroboam, 
and  the  utter  destruction  of  the  kingdom  of  the  ten  tribes. 
Amos  does  not  mention  Assyria  as  the  instrument  of  judgment, 
which  Hosea  does,  but  he  threatens  captivity  to  both  Israel  and 
Judah,  by  a  nation  to  be  raised  up,  3  :  14.  This  captivity  is  to 
be  a  distinct  one  beyond  Damascus,  5  :  27. 

Special  Predictions. — That  the  smaller  kingdoms  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Israel  should  be  desolated,  direful  mortality,  etc.  In  re- 
gard to  Messianic  periods  Hosea  and  Amos  agree  in  a  spiritual 
sense.  They  predict  permanent  restoration.  They  shall  be 
united  and  governed  under  the  son  of  David,  Amos  goes  be- 
yond Hosea.  (a)  In  showing  the  prostrate  condition  of  the  fam- 
ily of  David;  {h)  the  announcement  in  express  terms  of  the 
calling  of  the  Gentiles,  which  we  have  seen  is  implicitly  set 
forth  in  Hosea.  • 


JONAH. 

Jonah  was  a  native  of  Gath-ilepher,  2  Kings  14  :  25  ;  Josh. 
19  :  13.  Tarshish  was  a  Phoenician  settlement  in  the  south  of 
Spain.  Jerome  says  Gath-Hepher  was  two  miles  from  Sfephoris 
on  the  way  to  Tiberias. 

Date. — (rt)  2  Kings  14  :  25,  Israel  enlarged  by  Jeroboam, 
therefore  Jonah  prophesied  before  the  close  of  Jeroboam's 
reign.  (6)  Position,  was  after  Obadiah  and  Amos,  and  before 
Micah  in  the  canon,  (c)  First  invasion,  2  Kings  15  :  19,  of 
Israel  in  the  reign  of  Menahem.  A  few  months  of  reign  and 
twelve  years  of  interregnum  after  Jeroboam.  Time  for  Jonah 
after  this  invasion,  therefore,  argue  2  Kings  14  :  25,  and  the 
book  were  at  different  periods.     Mercy  first,  then  judgment. 

Two  parts  :  First  and  second  mission.  Aborbaud,  dream  of 
Jonah  while  asleep,  Clericus,  saved  by  a  vessel  with  a  figure 
of  a  whale.  Allegorical  of  different  subjects.  Parable,  popu- 
lar logical,  with  historical  basis.  Heathen  myth,  supernatural 
facts  of  the  Bible  difiicult.  Species  of  fish  not  defined.  So 
ketos  in  Matt.,  a  species  of  shark,  white,  soft,  long.  Winer's 
story  of  a  fish  swallowing  a  man. 

Repentance  of  Ninevites  incredible.  But  (a)  superstition ; 
(h)  fame  of  Jonah,  his  deliverance,  defeat  of  armies,  etc.,  may 
have  added   to   cause  it.     Profane  historians  do  not  metition  it 


PROPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY.  51 

because  they  have  no  Assyrian  records.  3  :  8,  Beasts  covered 
■with  sackcloth  (compare  Herodotus  as  to  Persians).  Various 
myths  have  no  reserabLance.  The  Jews  did  not  adopt  such 
myths,  but  avouUI  have  shaped  the  myth  to  suit  personal  preju- 
dice. Half  man,  half  fish,  taught  the  Assyrians  the  arts  of 
life. 

Positive  argument :  (a)  Natural,  obvious  interpretation  of 
the  language  ;  (5)  Admission  into  the  canon  ;  {c)  Christ's  refer- 
ence to  Jonah. 

Value  for  the  prophetic  element :  (a)  Only  records  that 
which  contains  a  moral  lesson ;  many  things  omitted ;  (6)  Posi- 
tion in  prophetic  books.  Why  not  among  the  historical  books  ? 
It  must  have  a  lesson  for  the  future,  (c)  Extraordinary  char- 
acter of  the  mission   to   the   Gentiles  ;  cf.  Amos,  Obadiah,  Na- 

hum,  as  to  foreign  nations.     Jer. .  only  sent  to  prophesy, 

1  Kings  19  :  15,  cf.  2  Kings  8  :  7,  not  for  sake  of  Syria,  but  a 
scourge  to  Israel.  id)  No  pains  to  carry  out  mission,  (e) 
Christ  calls  Jonah  "  a  sign,"  Matt.  12:  39-41.  Hitzig  says. 
Have  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy  as  object.  Ewald,  shows  sal- 
vation by  penitence,  pious  feeling.  Bleek,  and  Hengstenberg, 
rebukes  the  narrowness  of  the  Jews.  Motives  given  to  pro- 
phesy wrongly.  Fairbairn,  overthrow  of  Nineveh  might  humble 
Israel,  therefore,  wishes  it,  4  :  2.  Feared  Nineveh  should  be 
spared,  while  Israel  is"  not.  Jewish  tradition  is  more  con- 
cerned for  the  honor  of  the  son  than  of  the  father.  Jerome 
on  the  subject.  Cf.  Elijah  desiring  death  because  there  was  no 
general  conversion.  Same  prediction  in  the  N.  T.  among  the 
Christians.  Symbolic  actions  showing  the  Gentiles  less  ob- 
durate than  Israel,  (a)  Admonitory  ;  (6)  Typical.  Jonah  cast 
into  the  sea,  but  mariners  cry  to  God  [cf.  Deut.  30  :  1-3).  Jon-Ji 
is  delivered,  Nineveh  repents.  Israel  had  many  prophets,  yet 
did  not  repent ;  Ezek.  3  :  5-7,  "  The  house  of  Israel  will  not 
hearken."  The  word  of  God  to  be  preached  to  the  Gentiles, 
Amos  9  :  12.  Rejection  of  the  covenant  people.  Luke  4:  25, 
Elijah  sent  to  the  widow  of  Sarepta,  Naaman  healed.  In  John 
4,  Christ  preaches  to  the  Samaritan  woman.  Mark  7  :  25, 
Syrophoenician  woman's  daughter  healed.  Magi  at  the  Sav- 
iour's birth.  Matt.  12  :  40,  Son  of  Man  three  days  and  nights 
in  the  depths  of  the  earth.  Luke  11  :  30,  Casting  out  of  Jonah, 
and  death  of  Christ,  not  the  termination  of  the  work  of  Jonah 
or  of  Christ.  Rom.  11  :  15,  restoration  of  Israel — Jonah  cast 
back  on  the  land. 

Date — Placed  late,  Assyrian   exile.     There   is  no  proof  that 
Jonah  was  not  the   author.     Aramseisms  not    more   numerous 


0^  PBOPHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

than  in  Hosea.  Prayer  from  Psalms  which  are  later  than 
Jonah.  Hengstenberg  :  Psahns  after  the  exile,  then  Psalms 
borrowed  from  Jonah.  3  :  3,  Nineveh  '"  was  "  exceeding  great, 
but  this  states  how  Jonah  found  the  city.  Diodorus,  Herodo- 
tus, agree  with  Jonah.  Moderns  differ.  Layard  agrees  with 
Jonah.  Rawlinson  :  The  three  days'  journe}'  is  the  circuit,  not 
diameter. 

Author. — (a)  It  is  claimed  for  Jonah  1  :  1.  (6)  It  is  placed 
among  the  prophetic  books,  therefore  it  is  from  a  prophet,  (c) 
The  hatred  of  the  Jews  for  the  Gentiles  makes  its  production 
at  a  late  date  impossible,  {d)  Tradition  favors  the  authorship 
of  Jonah. 


PROPHETS  OF  JUDAH. 

Condition  of  the  Kingdom. — It  was  not  schismatic.  Idolatry 
was  introduced  by  the  daughter  of  Ahab.  The  reaction  comes 
in  more  completely  under  Joash  than  under  Jehu  in  Jeremiah. 
There  were  four  princes  in  this  period.  The  first  and  second 
were  godly ;  Ahaz,  idolatrous;  Hezekiah,  reformer.  Evil  was 
at  no  time  totally  eradicated.     Inflictions  by  Syria  and  Assyria. 

There  are  five  prophets  in  this  period:  Joel,  Obadiah,  Isaiah, 
Micah,  Nahum,  and  this  is  their  chronological  order.  Their 
ministries  differ  from  those  of  their  contemporaries  in  Israel. 

1.  They  are  ministries  of  gentleness  rather  than  of  severity; 
of  hope,  rather  than  denunciation.  They  are  either  positive  or 
negative.  Micah,  positive;  Obadiah,  Nahum,  negative;  Joel, 
Isaiah,  both.  The  positive  give  greater  space  to  promise,  and 
make  these  of  a  larger  and  fuller  kind  than  in  Israel.  Exactly 
one-half  of  Joel  is  promissory  ;  and  Isaiah,  in  the  last  twenty- 
seven  chapters,  devotes  himself  expressly  to  the  work  of  com- 
fort ;  Micah  gives  large  space  to  promise.  The  contrast  of  this 
period  with  Israel  is  great.  In  Judah,  the  promises  made  are 
not  all  left  to  the  distant  future,  but  include  present  deliver- 
ances. The  negative  are  consolatory.  Denunciation  and  down- 
fall of  their  heathen  foes,  because  the  overthrow  of  these  is 
mercy  to  Judah.  Their  overthrow  is  in  order  that  the  power 
may  be  given  to  Israel.  The  heathen  for  aftime  will  over- 
throw the  people  of  God,  but  it  is  added  that  they  shall  ulti- 
mately be  cast    down,  and    the   power   given   to   God's  people. 


PROPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY.  53 

This  is  so  in  regard  to  Edora  in  Obadiah.  Nahura  tells  of  a 
similar  judgment  on  Nineveh  and  Assyria.  Isaiah  against 
Assyria  and  Babylon. 

2.  The  greater  clemency  of  the  Lord  to  Judah  is  shown  by 
granting  to  the  prophets  of  the  kingdom  a  range  of  much 
greater  foresight  than  to  Israel.  Not  only  do  they  advise  them 
of  the  events  immediately  before  them,  but  they  also  disclose 
the  remote  future,  preparing  the  people  in  advance  for  remote 
necessities,  {a)  A  most  appalling  disaster  to  Judah  in  the  suc- 
ceeding period,  (h)  Existence  of  Judah  not  limited  to  this 
period,  but  continued,  (c)  Judah  is  to  be  brought  into  con- 
tact with  the  greatest  nations  of  the  world,  and  is  to  "experience 
their  hostility,  {d)  Needful  for  prophetic  marks  of  the  Mes- 
siah to  be  given.  For  these  reasons  a  much  greater  range  is 
given  to  Judah  than  to  Israel.  The  overthrow  of  the  ten  tribes 
and  its  attending  circumstances  are  almost  the  whole  that  is 
given  to  Israel.  To  Judah,  in  addition :  A  series  of  successive 
judgments  against  Judah;  Assyrian  invasion,  and  its  failure; 
captivity  of  Babylon  and  its  deliverance;  overthrow  of  Nine- 
veh ;  judgments  against  inferior  foes  ;  and,  lastly,  the  overthrow 
of  Babylon  herself,  the  foe  of  the  future. 

The  body  of  the  revelations  just  given  has  been  variously 
proportioned.  Joel:  A  general  overthrow  of  the  future,  with- 
out distinctly  specifying  the  events  in  it.  Judah  has  repeated 
strokes  of  judgment,  and  when  it  is  brought  to  itself  by  this 
means,  God  shall  return  to  it,  and  execute  judgments  upon  its 
enemies.  This  is  filled  up  more  in  detail  by  other  prophets. 
Micali  dwells  exclusively  upon  the  fortunes  of  God's  people, 
their  punishment  for  unfaithfulness,  and  their  subsequent  bless- 
edness. Obadiah  and  Nahum  individualize  the  work  of  judg- 
ment upon  the  foes  of  God's  people.  Obadiah  tells  of  the  fate 
of  Edom,  the  hereditary  foe  of  Judah.  Nahum,  toward  the 
close  of  this  period,  foretells  the  downfall  of  Nineveh.  Isaiah 
goes  over  the  ground  in  a  general  way  marked  out  by  Joel,  but 
differs  from  him  in  unfolding  in  their  details  what  Joel  gives  in 
general  outline,  while  at  the  same  time  he  goes  beyond  in  the 
fullness  of  the  blessings  of  God's  people.  Blicah :  The  judg- 
ments against  the  foes  exceeds  Obadiah  and  Nahum.  To  no 
one  is  so  large  a  view  of  the  future  given  as  to  Isaiah,  until  the 
time  of  Daniel. 

3fessianic  Predictions. — The  range  of  the  Messianic  predic- 
tions of  the  Judean  prophets  is  also  extensive.  In  Israel  it 
was  negative.  Judah  does  this,  but  goes  far  beyond  this  posi- 
tion.    The  people  shall  not  only  return  to  God  from  their  apos- 


54  PBOPHETS  AXD  PROPHECY. 

tasy,  as  Amos  says,  but  they  shall  also  be  purged.  All  their 
foes  shall  themselves  be  humbled  and  destroyed,  all  that  is  nox- 
ious in  animal  creation — even  death  itself.  No  form  of  evil 
shall  remain  to  the  people  of  God.  The  prophets  of  Judah  are 
not  confined  to  this  negative  view  of  the  case.  They  develop 
the  positive  beauties  of  the  period,  as  to  the  people  of  God  and 
the  Gentiles. 

1.  The  people  of  God,  both  in  inward  character  and  outward 
condition,  shall  correspond  to  what  they  should  be.  They  shall 
be  holy  in  their  character,  and  have  the  Spirit  of  God  poured 
out  upon  them,  and  then  their  kingdom  of  peace  shall  be  uni- 
versal, perpetually  prosperous,  and  shall  sway  the  whole  world, 
whose  resources  shall  flow   into  it,  and  contribute  to  its  honor. 

2.  The  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  and  their  conversion  to  God, 
are  more  clearly  revealed  than  in  Israel.  It  was  shadowed 
forth  by  Jonah,  stated  limitedly  by  Amos,  but  by  the  prophets 
of  Judah  in  the  most  unambiguous  way. 

Person  of  Christ. — Besides  this  general  development  of  the 
characteristics  of  the  Messianic  period  as  respects  the  people  of 
God  and  the  Gentiles,  the  Judean  prophets  bring  into  view  the 
Person  of  the  Messiah  as  was  not  done  by  the  prophets  of 
Israel.  The  prophets  of  Israel  predicted  the  family  of  David, 
and  its  rise  again,  but  do  not  view  the  Person  of  Christ.  The 
prophets  of  Judah  say  he  shall  appear  during  a  time  of  op- 
pression, and  shall  spring  from  the  house  of  David,  born  in 
Bethlehem,  the  son  of  a  virgin.  He  shall  honor  Galilee,  be 
rejected  by  the  Jews,  but  accepted  by  the  Gentiles.  By  his 
death,  he  shall  be  brought  into  glory,  and  establish  a  kingdom 
of  righteousness.  Obadiah  and  Nahum  simply  refer  to  the 
Messianic  period,  the  former  explicitly,  the  latter  implicitly. 
They  simply  refer  to  it  in  its  negative  phase,  as  to  its  deliver- 
ance from  and  judgments  upon  the  foes  of  God's  people. 
Isaiah  and  Micah,  between  whom  there  is  a  close  connection, 
speak  of  the  Person  of  the  Messiah,  of  his  birth  in  Bethlehem, 
of  his  deity,  and  of  his- kingly  office  as  Messiah.  Isaiah  alone 
gives  the  birth  from  the  virgin,  the  sufferings  and  vicarious 
death.  The  blessings  are  nowhere  set  forth  so  well  and  so 
gloriously  as  in  Isaiah. 

Divisions. — This  prophetic  period,  though  strictly  a  unit, 
may  be  divided  into  two  portions  :  (a)  Outward  prosperity  un- 
der the  vigorous  reign  of  the  pious  Uzziah,  and  before  the 
Assyrians  had  come,  {h)  Trial  under  Ahaz  and  Hezekiah. 
This  is  after  the  invasion  by  Syria  and  Ephraim,  and  when  the 
Syrians  present  a  threatening  aspect.     To  the  first,  belong  Joel, 


FBOPHETS  AND  PEOPHECY.  55 

Obadiah,  and  the  first  six  chapters  of  Isaiah.  The  prophets 
endeavor  to  break  the  proud  spirit  of  the  people,  which  pros- 
perity had  engendered,  by  setting  forth  the  coming  trials.  To 
the  second,  belong  Micah,  Nahum,  and  considerable  of  the  re- 
mainder of  Isaiah.  Here  the  downfall  of  Nineveh,  and  the 
Messiah  as  defender  and  king  of  hisr  people,  are  displayed. 
Isaiah's  ministry  extends  not  only  through  both  portions  of  this 
period,  but  goes  beyond  the  downfall  of  Sennacherib,  and  pro- 
poses the  way  for  the  next  period.  These  prophets  of  Judah 
in  the  Assyrian  period  may  be  compared  in  minor  points  : 

Personal  and  Family  Relations. — Mention  is  made  of  the  fath- 
ers of  Joel  and  Isaiah ;  the  residences  of  Micah  and  Nahura  are 
given  ;  but  of  Obadiah,  only  the  name.  This  is  all  we  have  of 
their  personal  history,  except  a  few  scraps  of  Isaiah's.  Prob- 
ably all  except  Nahum  belonged  to  Judah. 

Duration  of  Ministry. — Isaiah  under  four  kings  ;  Micah  un- 
der three  kings.  The  ministries  of  Joel,  Obadiah_.  and  Nahum 
were  probably  brief. 

Structure  of  the  Books. — Isaiah  in  successive  portions,  which 
are  kept  distinct;  Micah,  a  general  summary  of  the  revelations 
made  to  him,  without  distinction  of  date.  The  other  prophets 
have  done  the  same,  unless,  as  seems  to  be  the  case  with  Oba- 
diah and  Nahum,  they  have  given  us  only  a  single  discourse. 


JOEL. 

From  1 :  9,  13,  14,  some  infer  that  he  was  of  Levitical  de- 
scent.    There  is  no  warrant  for  this. 

Date  of  his  ministry  is  showa  by  his  position  between  Hosea 
and  Amos.  He  must,  therefore,  have  been  of  the  time  of 
Uzziah,  and  during  the  part  when  Jeroboam,  king  of  Israel, 
was  yet  living.  Some  put  him  at  a  still  earlier  date,  as  far 
back  as  Joash.  The  enemies  given  as  enemies  of  Judah  can 
all  be  shown  to  have  been  enemies  in  the  time  of  Joash.  This 
proves  nothing,  because  the  powers  mentioned  were  hereditary 
foes,  and  ready  for  war  at  any  time.  Amos  denounces  the 
same  nations,  and  accuses  them  of  the  same  crimes.  Others 
place  Joel  at  a  later  date  than  [lezekiah.  This  is  claimed  from 
3  :  2,  but  the  "  Israel  "  mentioned  there  means  both  branches 
of  the  covenant  people,  and  their  captivity  is  future,  and  not 
spoken  of  as  past. 


56  PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

There  are  two  parts,  of  36  vs.  each :  a  1 :  2  ;  2:17,  the 
judgment  and  exhortation  to  repentance.  h  2:18;  3  :  21,  the 
blessing,  a  is  a  description  of  unexampled  distress  and  scourge 
of  devouring  insects.  Is  it  allegorical  or  real?  Whichever 
they  were,  they  were  symbolical  of  the  punishment  to  Judah  by 
invading  enemies.  Some  say  there  is  an  allusion  to  the  four 
great  powers  of  the  ancient  world,  by  which  the  people  of  God 
were  successively  assailed,  h  In  the  second,  we  pass  from 
judgment  to  mercy. 

The  first  part  is  a  description  of  unparalleled  distress  by  a 
swarm  of  insects.  There  are  different  views  as  to  what  kind 
of  insects  is  intended,  four  terms  being  employed,  (a)  They 
denote  four  kinds  of  locusts ;  {h)  Different  species  of  the  same 
kind ;  (c)  The  same  insect  in  successive  stages  of  its  growth. 
Credner  :  "  Gazam  is  the  migratory  locust,  which  visits  Pales- 
tine chiefly  in  the  autumn,  'arbeJi,  the  young  brood,  yeleq,  the 
young  locust  in  the  last  stage  of  its  transformation,  or  before 
changing  its  skin  for  the  fourth  time,  and  chasil,  the  perfect 
locust  after  this  last  change,  so  that,  as  the  brood  sprang  from 
the  gazam,  chasil  would  be  equivalent  to  gazamP  (See  Keil, 
"Minor  Prophets,"  Joel  1  :  1-4.)  Palestine  was  first  visited  by 
the  locusts  in  the  autumn,  full  grown;  this  swarm  laid  its  eggs 
and  perished  in  the  Red  sea.  The  combined  heat  and  drought 
favored  the  hatching  of  the  eggs  in  the  spring.  Then  describes 
a  running  or  climbing.  They  have  to  cast  the  skin  four  times 
before  they  come  out  perfect.  Objections  to  this  view  :  (a)  It 
requires  an  interpolation  of  the  laying  the  eggs,  and  hatching, 
and  requires  a  different  subject.  (6)  While  assuming  distinct 
significance  for  three,  four  is  a  species.  This  theory  has  been 
modified.  But  the  only  proof  that  there  would  then  be  succes- 
sive stages,  is  that  in  verse  4  they  occur  in  a  particular  order; 
but  in  2  :  25,  they  occur  in  another  order.  'Arbeh  is  not  so 
used  elsewhere,  but  is  the  usual  term  for  locust.  Yeleq  can  not 
have  this  meaning,  because  Nahum  3:  6,  makes  it  mean  "full- 
grown."  In  Ps.  105  :  34,  'ai'beh  and  i/eleq  are  synonymous  ;  so 
also  'arbeh  and  chasil  in  Ps.  78 :  46.  Chasil,  Deut.  28  :  38,  ex- 
presses the  act  of  devouring.  On  the  whole,  it  is  best  to  con- 
sider them  as  poetic  equivalents  of  the  sauie  thing.  The  terms 
used  really  mean  "  gnawer,"  "  swarmer,"  "  feeder,"  "  devourer." 

Do  they  mean  actual  locusts,  or  are  they  symbolic?  Doubt- 
less the  latter,  because  :  1.  They  are  a  natural  figure  for  hos- 
tile invaders;  cf.  Rev.  9:  3-11,  and  often  in  SS.  2.  It  is  repre- 
sented as  a  judgment  of  unparalleled  severity,  and  to  be  the 
last  before  the  Messianic  blessino;  shall  come.     This  would  be 


PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY.  57 

exaggerated  if  actual  locusts  were  meant.      Cf.  2  :  2,  the  dark- 
ness was  to  be  before  them,  not  by  them,  the  Lord's  hosts.     3. 
Their  ravages  are  not  past  nor  present — as  they  must  be  on  the 
literal  hypothesis,  for  it  is  impossible  to   suppose  the  prophet 
would  spend  so  much  space  in  predicting  a  mere   swarm  of  lo- 
custs,— but  future.     In  3  :  15,  preterites  are  used  and  yet  refer 
to  the  future,  and  in  1  :  15,  "  the  day  of  the  Lord"  is  identified 
w'ith  locusts.     4.  The  connection  of   the  prophecy  demands  an 
allegorical  hypothesis.     The  heathen  are  denounced  for  crimes 
not  yet  committed.     This  can  only  relate  to  the  crime  predicted 
in   3  :  7.     In  consequence  of   final  judgment  on  the  heathen, 
strangers  shall   pass  through  Jerusalem  no  more,  etc.     5.  The 
attributes  of  the  locusts,  and  the  terras  used  of  them,  belong  to 
a  nation,  as  goi/,  1 :  6,  and  am,  2:  2.     The  latter  is  twice  used 
of  ants,  but  never  the  former.     They  are  called  "northern,"  2  : 
29  ;  but  locusts  come  from  the  south,  and  invasions  from  Baby- 
lon from  the  north.     The  reason  assigned  for  destruction  is  that 
they  have  done  great  things  and  will  be  punished.     They  shall 
perish  in  two  seas  at  once,  2  :  20,  and  so  mere  foes  on  all  sides. 
2  :  17,  priests  are  to  pray  God  for  deliverance,  that  the  heathen 
should  not  rule  over  them,  which  is  not  because  they  are  so  re- 
duced as  to  be  a  prey  to  the  heathen,  nor  that  they  should  be- 
come a  byword  among  them.     2  :  25,  speaks  of  the  years  the 
locusts  have  eaten.     2  :  4,  5,  they  are  like  horses  and  chariots, 
which  shows  their  true  meaning.     In   1  :   19,  20,  the  figure  is 
changed  to  that  of  fire,  v/hich  shows  it  to  be  but  a  figure.     Lit- 
eralists  say  it  refers  to  a  drought,  but  it  is  not  said  there  would 
be  one.     6.  The  allegorical  view  is  the  oldest,  and  has  also  been 
most  prevalent.     Targum  substitutes  names    of   people  for  lo- 
custs.    Rufinus  is  the  only  Latin  fother  holding  the  literal  view. 
Some  Jews  hold  literal  view.     Bochart  finds  literal  interpreta- 
tion among  Christians,  followed  by  rationalists.     It  is  not  nec- 
essary that  all   the  names,  1  :  12,  should  have  separate  signifi- 
cation.    It  is  a  question   whether  the  four  different  names  of 
locusts   have   different   significations.       EphriTsm     Syrus    refers 
them   to  different  invaders.     Jerome,  Cyril,  and  Hengstenberg 
refer  them  to  the  four  world  kingdoms  of  Daniel,  which  should 
oppress  Israel.     Nothing  is  certain,  except  that  these  are  curi- 
ous coincidences.     Ch.  1  has  descriptions  of  judgment ;  ch.  2 
has  the  same  theme,  but  under  different  aspects,  agents  are  dif- 
ferent, described  in  vs.  10,  11,  12,  etc.;  then  in  v.  18  the  tone 
changes    to   that  of    promise.     These   promises  are  of:   1.   Re- 
moval of  the  scourge,  and  restoration  of  all   that  had  been  lost, 
2  :  18-27  ;  2.  Bestowment  of  spiritual  gifts,  2  :  28-32  ;   3.  De- 
struction of  foes,  ch.  3. 


58  PBOPBETS  AND  PBOPHECY. 

In  2  :  23  occurs  in  the  English  version  an  incorrect  trans- 
lation. The  correct  meaning  is  "  teacher  of  righteousness." 
This  includes  all  whom  God  commissioned  to  instruct  the  people, 
and  includes  the  prophet,  and  the  greatest  teacher  of  all,  the 
Messiah.  "  Teacher"  is  used  generically.  In  consequence  of 
the  people  being  thus  led  to  righteousness,  God  would  give  them 
abundant  rains  in  the  first  "  month,'  as  in  the  A.  V.,  but  it 
should  be  in' the  first  "place."  We  observe,  1.  This  has  the 
sanction  of  all  the  versions.  2.  The  usage  of  the  word  moreh 
is  not  rain,  but  teacher,  in  every  other  passage.  In  Ps.  84  :  7, 
the  meaning  is  disputed.  3.  Expression  "  to  righteousness" 
favors  teacher.  If  it  means  rain,  it  must  mean  that  which  is 
suitable,  a  sense  it  never  has  elsewhere.  In  A.  V.,  "  moderate- 
ly" should  be  "  to  righteousness."  4.  Translation  "  former 
rain"  would  introduce  a  tautology,  for  next  clause  has  the  same. 
He  pours  out  upon  them  a  spiritual  blessing.  This  shall  be 
upon  all  flesh,  i.  e.,  not  only  upon  all  mankind,  but  without  na- 
tional distinction,  but  also  upon  all  classes  of  men,  irrespective 
of  age,  rank  or  sex.  In  Acts  2  :  16,  Peter  tells  us  the  fulfill- 
ment of  the  prophecy  had  begun  then,  and  also  the  marvelous 
outpouring  of  the  Spirit  was  not  a  final  completion  of  the  pro- 
phecy but  only  a  beginning.  There  were  to  be  signal  judgments 
upon  the  enemies  of  God ;  there  were  to  be  premonitory  won- 
ders, 2  :  30,  31.  In  ch.  3  we  have  an  account  of  the  judgment 
itself.  This  chapter  is  figurative,  but  in  substance  it  has  met 
repeated  fulfillment,  as  one  after  another  of  the  enemies  of  God 
has  been  destroyed,  and  it  shall  finally  be  fulfilled  completely  in 
the  universal  judgment  of  the  world  to  come.  In  3:  2,  the 
scene  of  judgment  is  laid  in  the  valley  of  Jehoshaphat,  which  is 
supposed  to  be  the  same  referred  to  in  2  Chron.  20  :  26.  Oth- 
ers suppose  from  3  :  16  that  the  valley  nearest  the  temple  must 
be  meant,  so  a  Jewish  literalism  expects  the  final  judgment  there. 
Jehoshaphat,  Jehovah  judged,  hence  "valley  of  God's  judgment." 
3  :  1-8,  charges  against  the  heathen  ;  all  nations  are  represent- 
ed as  leagued  against  the  Lord,  and  are  destroyed  by  Him.  3  : 
9-15,  all  people  are  called  to  come  and  witness  and  assist  in 
this  afiiiction.  3  :  17-21,  the  blessed  results,  His  people  are 
to  be  preserved.  The  type  of  the  abundance  is  expressed  in  3  : 
18,  even  the  most  desolate  places  shall  be  blessed.  Egypt 
and  Edom  are  types  of  the  foes  of  Israel,  and  they  shall  be  de- 
stroved. 


PB0PHET8  AND  PROPHECY.  59 


OBADIAH. 


Book  brief,  but  not  a  fragment,  name,  borne  by  others,  min- 
istry in  Judah,  date  inferred  from  position  of  book.  Objection 
from  vs.  11-14.  Confirmed  [a)  perhaps  by  ver.  20,  (h)  indefinite 
allusion  to  Chaldeans  ver.  11,  (c)  denunciations  of  Edom  in 
same  period  by  Joel,  Amos,  Isaiah.  Three  parts  :  vs.  1-9  the 
desolation  to  which  Edom  was  doomed,  vs.  10-16  reason  of  it, 
his  unbrotherly  treatment  of  Judah,  vs.  17-21  contrasted  res- 
toration and  enlargement  of  Israel.  Predictions.  1.  Capture 
of  Jerusalem  vs.  11-14.  2.  Hostility  then  shown  by  Edom, 
comp.  Ps.  137  :  7  ;  Ezek.  35  :  5.  3.  Overthrow  of  Edom  {a)  by 
the  nations,  ver.  1  fulfilled  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  comp.  Mai.  1  : 
8,  4  ;  (6)  by  the  house  of  Jacob  restored  to  their  ancient  seats, 
ver.  18.  4.  Day  of  the  Lord  upon  all  nations,  vs.  15,  16,  ful- 
filled successively  and  simultaneously.  5.  Restoration  of 
Israel,  vs.  17-21.  Saviours  human  champions  and  the  Messiah. 
Correspondence  with  preceding  and  succeeding  prophets,  Jere- 
miah, ch.  49  ;  not  (a)  independently  suggested  to  both,  nor  (6) 
servile  imitation,  but  (c)  indication  of  oneness,  {d)  mutual  sanc- 
tion, (e)  call  attention  to  what  is  about  to  pass  into  accomplish- 
ment. Incidental  evidence  of  genuineness  and  canonicity  of 
earlier  Scriptures.  Critical  extremes,  (a)  pedantic  minuteness 
and  baseless  conclusions  ;  (h)  alterations  of  text  to  restore  an 
imaginary  .conformity. 


ISAIAH. 

PRELIMINARY    CHAPS.    I.-VI. 

This  prophet  is  called  the  "  prince  of  prophets."  His  writ- 
ings are  the  largest  and  clearest  as  to  the  work  of  the  Messiah. 
Singular  fitness  in  his  name.  "Isaiah"  means  "salvation  of 
Jehovah,"  and  such  was  his  message.  According  to  Is.  1  :  1, 
he  was  son  of  Amoz,  of  whom  nothing  is  known.  He  lived  in 
Jerusalem,  the  "  middle  city,"  2  Kings  20  :  4.  He  was  married, 
and  had  at  least  two  children,  7:3;  8  :  3,  8.  The  name  of 
one,  Shear-jashub,  signifies  mercy  to  Judah  after  the  first 
coming  judgment.  The  name  of  the  other,  Maher-shalal-hash- 
baz,  signifying  speedy  ruin  to  Syria.     Some  suppose  a  third 


60  PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

son,  7  :  14,  Immanuel,  but  the  child  thus  spoken  of  is  the 
Messiah.  There  is  no  evidence  that  his  wife  was  inspired;  8  :  3, 
called  prophetess  simply  from  her  relation  to  Isaiah. 

Leading  Events. — 1.  Confronting  Ahaz,  ch.  7.  2.  Encourag- 
ing Hezekiah,  ch.  37.  3.  Healing  of  Hezekiah.  37-39  chs., 
and  reproof  of  his  vain  display.  Ch.  38  :  21  is  quoted  in  favor 
of  his  medical  skill,  but  this  is  given  only  in  virtue  of  his 
prophetic  office. 

duration  of  Ministry. — During  the  reigns  of  Uzziah,  Heze- 
kiah, Ahaz,  Jotham.  Not  during  their  entire  reigns  which 
would  be  113  years.  The  earliest  date  in  the  book,  6:1,  the 
year  Uzziah  died  ;  latest  date,  36  :  1.  Between  these,  46  years 
is  the  shortest  period  that  can  be  allowed.  Probably  his 
ministry  extended  some  time  beyond  this.  Some  say  until 
the  time  of  Manasseh,  because  (a.)  Jewish  tradition  says  that 
surviving  Hezekiah,  he  was  sawn  asunder  b}"^  Manasseh.  Some 
refer  to  Heb.  11  :  37.  {h)  Refers  the  rest  (5  Chron.  32  :  32), 
of  the  acts  of  Hezekiah  to  a  writing  of  Isaiah,  and  this,  they 
say,  implies  Isaiah  survived  Hezekiah.  (c.)  A  record  of 
Sennacherib's  death,  Is.  37  :  38.  (ci)  Not  forbidden  by  Isaiah 
1:1;  cf,  Jeremiah  1:3;  Dan.  1 :  21. 

Structure  of  the  Book. — I.  Utterly  confused,  jumbled  together, 
disorderly,  and  some  seek  to  bring  them  into  an  order  which 
mangles  the  book. 

II.  Partial  and  orderly  collections,  receiving  accidental 
accretions,  and  ultimately  blended.  This,  too,  is  arbitrary, 
based  on  an  assumption  of  disagreements  in  the  book,  and  on 
that  of  the  collection  of  these  parts  by  another  than  the 
prophet  himself. 

IIL» Chronologically  arranged  as  delivered.  In  favor  of  this 
it  is  urged  that  all  the  dates  which  do  occur  in  'the  book  are  in 
chronological  order.  The  two  cases  in  which  a  departure  is 
assumed  are  chs.  1  and  6.  Chapter  6  describes,  it  is  affirmed, 
the  inauguration  of  the  prophet  into  office.  If  this  be  correct, 
then  ch.  6  is  the  first  of  all  chronologically.  They  assume 
that  Isaiah  having  put  together  his  prophecies  uttered  in 
the  reigns  of  Uzziah  and  Jotham,  appended  to  them  his  original 
commission  in  order  to  show  them  that  the  denunciations 
which  he  had  uttered  were  in  strict  accordance  with  the  divine 
command.  But  in  ch.  6  the  prophet  describes  not  his  original 
commission,  but  a  special  dedication  for  a  new  and  specific 
work.  Ch.  1,  all  suppose  to  be  out  of  its  original  place.  Not 
a  discourse  in  the  outset  of  his  ministry,  but  the  last  of  all,  and 
not  prepared  until  the  whole  was  written.     It  is  supposed  that 


PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY.  61 

this  chapter  is  the  introduction  prepared  at  the  conclusion  of 
the  whole.  The  decision  of  the  question  rests,  mainly  on  the 
interpretation  of  vs.  7-9,  whether  the  preterite  is  historical  or 
prophetical.  The  latter  indicates  a  future  event  spoken  of  as 
having  already  occured.  The  country  was  not  ravaged  to  the 
extent  there  mentioned  until  the  time  of  Hezekiah.  In  oreneral, 
then,  the  order  is  chronological. 

IV.  Others  insist  on  a  topical  arrangement,  prophecies  relat- 
ing to  the  same  theme  being  classed  together.  Yitringa,  as 
follows  :  (a)  chs.  1-12,  prophecies  relating  to  Judah  and  Eph- 
raira,  from  the  earlier  part  of  his  ministry.  (6)  13-23,  Relating 
to  other  nations,  (c)  24-35,  Punishment  of  Jews  and  enemies 
of  the  church.  {d)  36-39,  Historical,  (g)  40-66,  Person  and 
reign  of  Christ.  Gesenius  divides  substantially  the  same,  but 
joins  {3)  and  (e)  as  both  relating  to  the  deliverance  from  the 
exile. 

V.  A  better  view  is  to  combine  the  chronological  order  and 
topical. — A  record  of  his  ministry  in  its  leading  features  as 
they  were  successively  unfolded,  viz.  :  (a)  1-6,  Before  the  Syri- 
an invasion.  Exhibition  of  the  certainty  and  necessity  of  the 
coming  judgment.  The  prophecies  were  delivered  to  an  out- 
wardly prosperous  people,  under  Hezekiah  and  Jothara.  Little 
space  is  devoted  to  promises.  All  that  are  given  relate  to  the 
distant  future.  Messianic  period  referred  to  brings  out  the  pres- 
ent guilt  and  unfaithfulness.  Necessity  of  judgments  to  pre- 
pare for  the  blessings  of  the  future.  Person  of  the  Messiah 
only  once  alluded  to,  and  then  only  obscurely.  (6)  7  :  37,  Ex- 
tending to  the  Assyrian  invasion.  Alternate  between  judg- 
ment and  mercy.  One  judgment  by  Syria  already  sent,  and  an- 
other by  Assyria  still  in  the  future.  Necessity  of  a  severer 
judgment  in  the  future.  The  person  of  the  Messiah  appears  re- 
peatedly in  his  kingly  office.  He  is  a  pledge  of  his  people's 
preservation  and  deliverance  from  oppression,  (c)  38-66,  Sub- 
sequent to  the  Assyrian  invasion.  The  second  judgment  by 
Assyria  is  past,  but  another  more  fearful  one  is  yet  to  come, 
which  shall  not  merely  threaten  the  destruction  of  the  holy  city, 
but  shall  actually  accomplish  it,  and  they  shall  be  .taken  away 
from  their  land,  breaking  the  presumption  of  sinners  over  Sen- 
nacherib's destruction,  by  this  announcement.  He  yet  gives 
comfort  to  the  pious,  who  were  in  danger  of  despairing,  that 
though  this  great  calamity  shall  befall  them,  it  shall  come  to  an 
end,  and  the  oppressor  shall  be  overthrown.  Cyrus  named,  Is- 
rael named.  Here  the  Messiah  is  again  exhibited,  not  as  a 
king  but  as  a  prophet,  and  as  a  sufferer,  the  head  of  his  people. 


62  PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

and  identified  with  them  in  the  accomplishment  of  that  which 
shall  avail  for  the  good  of  others,  but  suflFering  for  himself.  The 
last  section  is  adapted  to  a  great  necessity  of  the  future,  hence 
not  distinct  discourses  as  the  preceding,  but  one  connected  com- 
position. 

There  is  unity  of  plan  in  the  whole  book. 

I.  The  denunciations  of  the  early  chapters  increase  in  vehe- 
mence, until  they  culminate  in  sentence  of  desolation,  by  suc- 
cessive judgments  pronounced  by  God  himself,  in  the  vision  of 
ch.  6.  This  is  the  germ  of  all  that  comes  after.  The  prophet 
is  informed  that  the  people  instead  of  being  benefited  by  his 
ministry  Avould  continue  in  sin  until  the  land  should  be  desola- 
ted, although  they  should  not  be  finally  destroyed,  because  there 
was  still  a  holy  seed  which  should  be  preserved. 

II.  Chs.  7-37.  Subdivided,  (a)  7-12,  (6)  13-27,  (c)  28-35, 
(d)  36-37.  (a)  Prophecies  occasioned  by  the  first  of  the  pre- 
dicted judgments,  the  invasion  by  Syria  and  Ephraim,  promis- 
\x\Z  deliverance  from  this,  but  threatenino;  a  sorer  one  to  come. 
(5)  Meaning  of  these  predicted  events  to  the  world  at  large. 
(c)  Occasioned  by  the  approach  of  the  second  judgment,  the 
Assyrian  invasion,  promising  its  miraculous  defeat. .  id)  Record 
of  the  Assyrian  invasion  and  its  overthrow. 

III.  Chs.  38-66.  (a)  Chs.  38,  39,  occasion  of  predicting  the 
third  judgment.  (5)  40-66,  comfort  in  view  of  this  judgment 
and  assurance  of  ultimate  deliverance.  This  same  work,  of 
judgments  upon  the  people  for  their  sins,  is  spoken  of  in  general 
terms  by  Obadiah  and  Joel.  They  said  it  would  be  carried  to 
the  extent  of  destroying  the  holy  city,  but  by  what  steps  and 
foes,  was  unknown,  until  Isaiah  revealed  it.  No  prophet  of 
this  or  any  other  period  is  explicit  except  Daniel. 

I.  Subdivided  into  ch.  1,  chs.  2-4,  ch.  5,  and  ch.  6.  Ch.  1, 
vs.  2-4,  charge  of  ingratitude  and  sin;  vs.  5-9,  land  to  be  ra- 
vaged in  consequence;  vs.  10-15,  observance  of  the  ritual 
could  not  save  them  ;  vs.  16-20,  sin  must  be  repented  of  and  for- 
saken ;  or,  vs.  21-31,  it  shall  be  wiped  out  by  judgment. 
Chs.  2-4  :  {<i')  '1  :  2-4,  Zion's  glorious  destiny,  as  the  seat  of  a 
worship  which  shall  attract  and  bless  all  nations  ;  (6)  2  :  5  ;  4  : 
1,  present  failure  to  realize  this  destiny,  which  is  due  to  their 
sins,  and  shall  be  remedied  by  judgments  ;  (c)  4  :  2-6,  Zion  shall 
be  thus  purged  of  evil,  and  rise  to  her  true  blessedness  and 
glory;  Branch  of  the  Lord  and  fruit  of  the  Qarth  denotes  the 
Messiah  ;  (a)  the  Branch,  Jer.  23  :  5  ;  33 :  15  ;  Zech.  3  :  8  ;  6  : 
12,  comp.  Isa.  11  :  1  ;  (h)  ancient  and  common  explanation  ;  (c) 
no  other  satisfactory.  Ch.  5,  Parable  of  the  vine  and  its  appli- 
cation.    Ch.  6,  The  vision,  commission  and  announcement. 


FBOPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY.  63 

The  first  period  contains  four  distinct  prophecies.  In  each 
there  is  the  same  idea.  They  are  so  many  arguments  for  the 
necessity  of  judgment,  and  of  purification,  anterior  to  the  Mes- 
siah's coming.  In  the  second  discourse  it  is  put  in  the  glorious 
destiny  of  Zion,  and  the  seat  of  the  true  religion.  In  the  third 
discourse  the  same  truths  under  the  emblem  of  a  vineyard, 
carefully  attended  to,  and  yet  it  produces  wild  grapes.  In  con- 
sequence of  this  the  wall  of  the  vineyard  is  broken  down. 
This  prepares  the  way  for  the  last  discourse,  ch.  6,  in  which 
these  denunciations  culminate  in  a  sublime  vision.  The  Lord 
appears  in  his  temple  with  majesty,  and  pronounces  formal  sen- 
tence on  his  people — desolation  and  banishment,  but  not  of  en- 
tire destruction.  According  to  the  election  of  grace,  a  remnant 
shall  be  preserved.     There  is  a  holy  seed  to  remain. 

This  idea  which  is  here  brought  out  is  really  the  keynote  of 
the  book,  and  shows  reason  for  its  arrangement  and  structure. 
All  the  rest  is  built  upon  and  grouped  around  successive  judg- 
ments. The  future  has  thus  far  been  set  forth  in  its  general 
outline,  but  by  Avhat  agents  the  judgment  is  to  be  inflicted,  is 
not  yet  declared.  This  majestic  vision  of  ch.  6,  was  seen  in  the 
year  king  Uzziah  died,  ch.  6  :  1.  As  Uzziah  Avas  a  leper  during 
the  latter  years  of  his  reign,  Jotham  (2  Chron.  26  :  21)  was  then 
acting  monarch.  For  the  remainder  of  Jotham's  reign,  we  have 
no  distinct  utterances.  Whether  the  prophet  was  dumb  (Ezek. 
33  :  22)  or  not,  cannot  be  determined,  if  new  revelation  was  given 
him.  The  king  had  from  his  throne  pronounced  judgment,  and 
the  prophet  holds  his  peace.  The  decree  heard  in  the  temple 
enters  on  its  first  stage  in  the  days  of  Ahaz.  Prophet  was  sent 
with  message  which  was  constantly  disregarded. 

II.  Chs.  7-37.  {a)  7-12.  Subdivision  of  chs.  7-12  :  (1)  Ch.  7, 
circumstances,  deliverance  from  this  invasion,  but  a  severer  one 
from.  Assyria.  (2)  8  :  1  ;  9  :  7,  Both  from  this  present  and 
that  future  distress  Immanuel  is  a  pledge  of  protection  to  them 
that  fear  God.  (3)  9  :  8 ;  10:4,  Ephraim,  the  foe  of  the  pre- 
sent, shall  perish.  (4)  10:5;  10 :  34,  Assyria,  the  foe  of  the 
future,  shall  likewise  perish.  (5)  Ch.  11  :  12,  Blessings  of  Im- 
manuel's  reign. 

The  moment  Isaiah  met  Ahaz  was  a  critical  one  for  Judah,  and 
their  unbelief  was  the  immediate  cause  of  the  evils  which  fol- 
lowed. The  question  was  distinctly  proposed  to  them,  whether 
the}^  would  rely  on  God  for  assistance,  or  on  Assyria.  The  un- 
fortunate king  of  the  people  chose  the  fatal  consequences.  The 
Assyrian  general,  Rabshakeh  (36  :  2),  stood  on  the  conduit  of 
the  upper  pool,  where  Isaiah  met  Ahaz,  and  delivered  his  insult- 


64  PBOPHETS  AND  PBOPIIECi. 

ing  message.  The  direful  vision  of  the  first  chapter  is  liere 
given.  In  his  discourse  to  the  king,  Isaiah  (7  ch.)  had  sketched 
dark  visions  of  Assyrian  invasion,  and  no  relief.  Severe  chas- 
tisement of  sins,  followed  by  the  overthrow  of  foes.  Such  is  the 
future  of  the  people  of  God.  When  Isaiah  met  Ahaz,  he  de- 
livered the  message,  7  :  7-9.  The  sign  given  was  the  virgin's 
child,  comp.  Ex.  3:  11,  12,  time  of  deliverance  indicated, 
vs.  15,  16.  Almah,  a  virgin,  (a)  etymolog}^  (6)  usage,  (c) 
cognate  languages,  (d)  LXX  A  child  miraculously  horn,  (a) 
Mat.  1  :  22,  23,  (b)  solemnity  of  the  announcement,  (c)  the  name 
and  8:  8-10,  (d)  9  :  6,  7.  Not  the  prophet's  child,  (a)  mother 
a  virgin,  (b)  8 :  1-4.  Three  views,  (a)  Messianic,  (b)  non-Mes- 
sianic, (c)  double  sense.  8:1;  9 :  7,  Maher-shalal-hash-baz, 
deliverance  from  present  and  future  judgments  for  those  who 
fear  God,  of  which  Imraanuel  is  the  pledge,  scene  of  his  minis- 
try, 9  :  1,  2,  its  consequences,  multiplication,  joy,  deliverance, 
end  of  war,  vs.,  3-5,  person  and  titles,  vs.  6,  7,  Jewish,  Ration- 
alistic and  Messianic  interpretations.  9:8;  10  :  4,  overthrow 
of  Ephraim  in  four  stanzas  with  like  ending.  10  :  5-34,  over- 
throw of  Assyria,  Sennacherib's  march,  cut  down  as  a  forest. 
Ohs.  11,  12,  in  contrast  Messiah  sprouts  from  root  of  Jesse,  filled 
Avith  the  Spirit,  restores  Paradise,  gathers  the  Gentiles  and 
remnant  of  Israel,  unites  Judah  and  Ephraim,  makes  them  vic- 
torious over  all  foes.  Messianic  passages  :  7  :  14-16  ;  9  :  1-7. 
Chs.  11,  12,  progressive  climax. 

Chs.  13-27  (b)  ten  burdens  culminating  in  judgment  on  the 
whole  world,  followed  by  triumph  of  the  Lord's  people,  two 
naturally  corresponding  series,  twofold  design,  masah.  (1.) 
chs.  13-14  :  27,  Babylon,  the  object  of  two  burdens,  here  first 
connected  with  Judah's  exile,  to  be  overthrown  by  the  Medes. 
13:  .17,  and  become  a  perpetual  desolation,  vs.  19-22,  in  order 
to  the  deliverance  of  the  chosen  people,  who  sing  their  song  of 
triumph  over  the  oppressor's  downfall,  14 :  1-23  ;  Assyria's 
overthrow,  vs.  24,  25.  (2.)  14:  28-32,  Philistia  rejoicing  in 
calamities  of  Judah,  threatened  with  a  formidable  enemy  from 
the  north,  by  whom  she  shall  be  devastated  in  order  to  Zion's 
more  complete  establishment,  (3.)  chs.  15,  16,  against  Moab. 
(4.)  chs.  17,  18,  Damascus,  (a)  17  :  1-11,  denunciation  of 
Syria,  passing  over,  v.  3,  into  one  against  Ephraim  its  ally  in 
assaulting  Judah  ;  (6)  17  :  12-14,  denounces  nil  succeeding 
invaders,  however  numerous  and  powerful,  with  special  refer- 
ence to  Sennacherib  ;  (c)  ch.  18,  his  fall  announced  to  Ethiopia 
and  other  distant  nations,  who  bring  offerings  to  God.  (5.) 
chs.  19,  20,  Egypt ;   (a)  19  :  1-7,  ruin  under  image  of  drying  the 


PEOPHETS  AND  PEOPHEGY.  65 

Nile  ;  (6)  vs.  18-25,  mercy,  the  salvation  five  times  greater  than 
the  destruction,  v.  18,  altar,  v.  19,  union  of  Assyria  and  Egypt, 
23,  and  of  both  with  Israel,  vs.  24,  26  ;  (c)  ch.  20,  symbolical, 
action  defining  time  of  fulfilhnent.  (6.)  2l  :  1-10,  Desert  of  the 
sea,  i.  e.  Babylon  ;  Elam  or  Persia  joined  with  the  Medes  in 
its  capture  in  a  night  of  festivity.  (7.)  21  :  11,  12,  Dumah, 
silence,  L  e.  Edom.  (8.)  21  :  14-17,  Arabia.  (9.)  ch.  22, 
valley  of  vision,  i.  e.  Jerusalem  ;  (a)  vs.  1-14,  denunciation 
of  the  city;  (6)  vs.  15-19,  degradation  and  exile  of  Shebna  ; 
(c)  vs.  20-25,  exaltation  and  establishment  of  Eliakim.  (10.) 
ch.  23,  Tyre  to  be  overthrown  by  the  Chaldeans,  vs.  1-15,  but 
to  revive  after  seventy  years,  and  her  gain  to  b'e  consecrated  to 
the  Lord,  vs.  15-18.  Ch.  24,  General  judgment  of  the  whole 
world.     Chs.  25-27,  Judah's  triumph  and  blessedness. 

The  first  five  and  the  last  five  burdens  constitute  two  series. 
The  first  of  each  series  are  against  Babylon,  and  the  rest 
against  nations  subjugated  by  Assyria  and  Babylon,  and  by 
Avhich  the  judgment  was  partially  fulfilled.  The  second  and 
third  in  each  are  against  minor  nations  near  Palestine.  The 
third  of  each  series  is  concluded  with  the  time  of  its  fulfillment, 
"  in  the  years  of  an  hireling,"  mean  "  years  exactly  measured." 
The  object  of  the  fourth  of  each  series  is  the  true  covenant 
people.  Damascus  is  equivalent  to  Israel  here,  because  they 
are  associated  together.  The  fifth  of  each  series  is  against 
prominent  heathen  powers,  both  of  which  series  end  with  prom- 
ises, and  here,  too,  dates  are  given,  but  with  reference  to  the 
duration  and  removal  of  judgments.  Twofold  design  of  these 
burdens  :  first,  for  the  covenant  people  ;  second,  for  the  nations 
themselves.  All  the  nations  named  had  been  guilty  of  sins 
against  the  people  of  God,  and  it  is  so  taught  in  the  first  five. 
Humiliation  of  Egypt  is  to  remove  objects  (20:  6)  of  idolatrous 
trust  from  covenant  people.  The  design  of  announcement  to 
the  Gentiles,  is,  first,  that  the  judgment  of  one  (18  :  7)  might 
lead  others  to  trust  in  God ;  and,  secondly,  the  nations  them- 
selves are  to  be  converted  to  God,  e.  g.,  Egypt  and  Tyre  ; 
Assyria  is  mentioned  with  Egypt,  same  purpose  toward  all. 
These  individual  judgments  are  given  as  parts  of  God's  general 
judgment  of  the  world,  shown  both  by  the  beginnings  and  ends 
of  the  burdens.  Thus,  13  :  6-13,  mentions  convulsions  of  na- 
ture Avhich  did  not  happen  in  the  overthrow  of  Babylon,  but 
they  are  put  here  because  it  is  viewed  as  one  scene  in  God's 
providential  work  of  judgment,  as  in  Matt.  24  :  29  ;  and  in  14  : 
26,  the  character  of  the  judgment  is  stated,  "  upon  the  whole 
earth;  "  and  in  the  24th  ch.,  the  judgments  terminate  upon  the 


66  PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

world  at  large.  In  the  first  six  chapters  exile  of  Judah  is  pre- 
dicted, but  hitherto  the  agent  has  not  been  named,  but  now 
Assyria,  though  only  a  province,  is  here  declared  to  be  the 
agent,  hence  it  is  the  subject  of  two  distinct  burdens.  In  the 
13th  ch.  Babylon  is  to  be  overthrown  by  the  Medes,  and  this  in 
14 :  1-2,  is  declared  to  be  for  the  deliverance  of  the  covenant 
people.  Hence  he  reverts  to  the  nearest  foe,  by  whom  the  first 
blow  was  to  be  struck.  Ch.  14  :  24,  25,  repeats  Syria's  over- 
throw for  the  comfort  of  the  people.  The  second  burden  has  a 
title  in  14  :  28,  denunciation  against  Palestine  in  the  year  Ahaz 
died,  and  they  are  threatened  with  destruction  from  the  north. 
In  the  fourth  burden,  which  begins  against  Assyria,  and  then 
proceeds  to  prophesy  against  Ephraim,  since  it  and  Syria  were 
to  be  devastated  by  Assyria.  Then  he  passes  to  the  most  dis- 
tant powers  under  the  name  of  Ethiopia,  who  are  exhorted  to 
behold  how  God  would  destroy  all  his  enemies.  The  fifth  is 
against  Egypt.  Five  cities  of  Egypt  are  to  embrace  the  true 
religion,  to  one  that  is  to  be  destroyed,  and  an  altar  is  to  be  erect- 
ed to  the  Lord,  which  may  mean  that  Jerusq.lem  shall  no  longer 
be  the  only  place  of  sacrifice.  If  signifying  altar  of  witness,  it 
simply  implies  conversion  of  Egypt. 

(c)  Chs.  28-35.  As  the  time  for  the  Assyrian  invasion  came 
on,  the  warnings  and  the  comforts  needed  to  be  repeated.  Ch. 
28  :  1-6,  gives  the  overthrow  of  kingdom  of  ten  tribes,  followed 
in  rest  of  section  by  rebukes  and  threatenings  of  Judah,  with 
interjected  promises  of  Assyria's  overthrow  and  Judah's  deliv- 
erance. 

{d)  Chs.  36,  37.  This  section  is  wound  up  by  these  two 
chapters  which  give  the  fact  of  the  invasion  by  Assyria. 
Isaiah's  prophecy  at  the  time,  and  the  miraculous  deliverance. 

III.  (a)  Chs.  38,  39,  are  introductory.  They  give  the  pro- 
phet's ministry.  After  such  a  judgment,  and  such  a  deliverance, 
it  might  be  hoped  that  the  people  would  turn  to  the  Lord.  But 
it  is  not  so.  A  better  prince  than  Ahaz  is  now  on  the  throne, 
and  yet  Hezekiah  had  not  escaped  the  taint  of  former  kings. 
His  heart  was  lifted  up  with  pride,  and  to  the  messengers  sent 
to  him  by  the  king  of  Babylon  with  messages  of  congratulation 
that  he  had  recovered,  he  shows  the  treasures  of  the  Lord's 
house.  This  display  of  the  treasures  served  to  excite  the  cupid- 
ity of  the  king,  and  caused  him  to  take  them  away  from  Judah. 
The  people  are  not  allowed  to  gloat  over  the  defeat  of  Senna- 
cherib. As  far  as  this  was  allowed,  it  was  committed  to  Nahum. 
Isaiah  announces  the  Babylonish  captivity.  From  this  time  he 
devotes  himself  to  the  work  of  comfort ;  not  here  and  there  a 


PBOPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY.  67 

ray  of  comfort,  as  in  the  preceding  part  of  the  prophecy,  but 
in  the  great  body  of  what  follows.  The  captivity  was  so  dread- 
ful that  some  great  thing  was  needed  to  prevent  the  true  people 
of  God  from  falling  into  utter  despair.  So  Isaiah,  a  prophet  of 
a  former  age,  prepared  the  Avay  for  them.  It  is  for  a  like  rea- 
son that  Daniel  was  sent  to  tell  the  times  of  Antiochus  Epi- 
phanes,  which  were  to  come  long  after.  Isaiah  tells  of  God's 
great  purpose  respecting  his  people.  He  shows  the  occasion, 
design  and  issue  of  their  suffering.  Their  sufferings  (a)  arose 
not  from  God's  weakness  but  their  sins,  (5)  were  designed  to 
fit  them  for  and  further  the  accomplishment  of  their  task,  (c) 
would  issue  in  blessedness  and  glory.  These  topics  are  inter- 
mingled in  the  chapter. 

(6)  Chs.  40-66.  Each  division,  of  nine  chapters  each,  is 
distinguished,  sometimes  by  a  particular  event,  without  being 
exclusively  occupied  by  it.  Babylon  and  Cyrus  are  nowhere 
else  named.     This  election  is  divided  into — 

(1.)  Chs.  40-48,  Deliverance  from  exile,  characteristic  chap. 
45.  (2.)  Chs.  49-57,  Sufferings  and  triumph  of  Messiah,  ch. 
53.  (3.)  Chs.  58-66,  Future  glory  of  God's  people,  ch.  60. 
Shadowed  forth,  40  :  2.  Mission  of  Covenant  People,  includes 
work  of  Messiah,  both  embraced  under  name  Servant  of  the 
Lord  ;  (a)  appropriateness  of  title  ;  (6)  analogies  to  seed  of 
Abraham,  the  prophet,  son  of  David,  Christ  and  His  church  in 
N.  T.;  {c)  N.  T.— Acts  13 :  47,  comp.  Isa.  49 :  6  ;  2  Cor.  6:2; 
comp.  Isa.  49  :  8;  also  Jer,  11  :  19 ;  comp.  Isa.  53,  7 ;  {d)  appli- 
cability to  all  the  passages.  Can  not  mean  Israel  to  the 
exclusion  of  Messiah;  (a)  called  Israel  49  :  3,  but  distinguished 
from  them,  42 :  6  ;  49  :  5,  6,  as  their  mediator  and  restorer  ; 
ip)  his  atoning  death,  ch.  53.  Mor  Isaiah  or  the  prophets  : 
(a)  Mission  not  to  Gentiles,  (6)  nor  sufferings  vicarious.  Nor 
Cyrus.  Nor  even  Messiah  exclusively,  for  he  is  charged  (42 : 
9)  with  unfaithfulness  and  sin. 

1.  Chs.  40-48.  Ch.  40,  Omnipotence  of  Him  who  offers  de- 
liverance, voice  crying  in  wilderness,  v.  3.  Ch.  41,  contrasted 
impotence  of  idols  ;  they  can  do  nothing,  but  God  will  raise  up 
Cyrus  and  redeem  His  people.  Ch.  42,  destiny  of  God's  ser- 
vant, which  neither  God's  seeming  apathy,  nor  his  own  charac- 
ter and  condition  shall  obstruct.  Chs.  43.  44,  God  will  certain- 
ly befriend  His  people  in  spite  of  idols  and  diviners.  Chs.  45-47, 
Cyrus  predicted  by  name,  the  humiliation  of  Babylon  and  the 
deliverance  of  God's  captive  people. 

2.  Chs.  49-57.  Ch.  49,  Servant  of  Lord  complains  of  want  of 
success  ;  he  shall  accomplish  the  salvation,  not   of  Israel   only, 


68  PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

but  of  the  ends  of  the  earth.  The  blessedness  thence  resulting, 
49  :  12  ;  56  :  8,  confirmed  by  former  benefits,  viz. :  Multiplica- 
tion of  Abraham's  seed,  51  :  2,  deliverance  from  Egypt,  v.  9, 
and  from  Assyria,  52  :  4,  and  twice  interrupted  by  the  suffer- 
ings of  the  Servant  of  the  Lord,  50:  6,  and  ch.  53,  Blessings 
flowing  from  this  vicarious  death,  ch.  54,  offered  freely  to  all 
without  restriction,  ch.  55,  expressly  extended  to  sons  of 
strangers  and  those  ceremonially  debarred  from  covenant 
privileges,  56  :  1-8  ;  the  heavy  doom  of  apostates  and  sinners, 
56:  9;  57:  5il. 

3.  Chs.  58-66.  The  wickedness  and  hypocrisy  of  the  people 
the  cause  of  their  suS"ering,  chs.  58,  59,  and  call  for  divine  in- 
tervention, 59  :  16,  both  for  mercy  and  vengeance,  bringing  sal- 
vation to  Zion,  chs.  60-62,  and  judgment  on  Edom,  the  type  of 
her  foes,  63  :  1-6.  The  Servant  of  the  Lord  for  the  last  time, 
61  :  1-3  ;  comp.  Luke  4  :  18,  19.  The  prophet's  prayer  for  the 
speedy  accomplishment  of  these  things,  63:  7;  64:  12.  The 
Lord's  answer,  chs.  65,  6Q,  the  wicked  shall  be  cut  off,  God's 
true  servants  preserved  and  blessed,  new  heavens  and  new  earth, 
paradise  restored,  God's  people  brought  back,  Gentiles  made 
priests,  all  flesh  worship.  Extension  of  salvation  to  Gentiles 
foreshadowed  in  call  of  Abraham,  Gen.  12  :  3,  recognized  in  Mo- 
saic period.  Num.  14  :  21,  and  by  Psalmists,  22  :  27,  28  ;  72  : 
8,  etc.;  and  taught  with  great  fullness  by  Isaiah  ;  this  was  the 
design  of  (a)  the  appointment  of  the  Servant  of  the  Lord,  42 
1,  4,  6  ;  (b)  the  exaltation  to  be  bestowed  on  Israel,  2  :  2-4 
60  :  3  ;  (e)  the  judgments  on  the  heathen,  whether  (a)  the  over 
throw  of  an  empire  aspiring  to  be  universal,  10  :  34  ;  11  :  9 
(6)  the  punishment  of  individual  nations  resulting  in  the  con- 
version of  others,  18  :  7,  or  their  own,  chs.  19,  23,  or,  (c)  the 
judgment  on  all  nations,  24  :  14, 15  ;  59  :  18,  19.  Represented 
as  (a)  a  subjugation,  11  :  14 ;  (b)  voluntary  accession,  2:3;  11: 
10 ;  (c)  rendering  service,  14  :  1,  2 ;  49 :  22,  23,  (d)  union  on 
an  equal  footing,  19  :  24  ;  56  :  6,  8;  66  :  21,  (e)  substitution  in 
place  of  the  rejected  sinners  of  Israel,  65  :  1,  2.  Expressed 
mostly  in  0.  T.  forms  :  coming  up  to  Zion,  off'ering  sacrifices, 
etc.,  yet  occasional  intimations  of  their  temporary  character, 
(a)  physical  impossibility  literally  understood,  66  :  23  ;  (b)  un- 
essential nature  of  outward  forms,  1  :  11-15  ;  58 :  2-7  ;  (c)  re- 
moval of  Levitical  restrictions,  19  :  19  :  64 :  4,  5. 


PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY.  69 


GENUINENESS  OE  ISAIAH. 

For  correspondence  of  Isaiah,  2  :  2-4,  and  Micah,  4  :  1-3. 
{Vide  Alexander's  Commentary.)  Also  of  the  four  historical 
chapters,  36-39,  and  2  Kings  18:  13 ;  20  :  19.  The  burden  of 
Moab,  chs.  15  and  16  (see  16 :  13,  14,)  in  consequence  of  its 
closing  verses  has  been  thought  to  be  the  production  of  a  pro- 
phet older  than  Isaiah,  and  simply  re-affirraed  by  him.  It  is 
more  probable  that  Isaiah  here  repeated  an  earlier  prophecy  of 
his  own.  This  prophecy  is  not  in  form,  but  substantially  what 
had  been  predicted  by  prophets  before  him.  The  question  of 
genuineness  is  very  different  from  this.  Every  prophecy  from 
the  beginning  to  the  close  of  the  book  which  implies  a  foresight 
of  the  Babylonish  exile,  is  said  to  be  spurious  on  the  ground 
that  such  foresight  is  contrary  to  nature,  e.  g.,  two  burdens  of 
Babylon,  13  and  14  chs.,  21  :  1-10,  and  the  comfort  (40-66 
chs.)  given  to  the  people  of  God. 

(1.)  Skeptics  from  a  disbelief  of  prophetic  foresight  have  no 
influence  with  those  who  are  Christians.  It  is  simply  a  begging 
of  the  question. 

(2.)  Objectors  have  not  a  pretext  on  any  external  ground. 
The  entire  book  claims  to  be  the  book  of  Isaiah.  So  asserted 
in  Chron.  32  :  32.  Alluded  to  in  Ecclesiasticus  48  :  22-25. 
Of  the  21  times  in  which  Isaiah  is  mentioned  in  the  N.  T.,  11 
are  from  this  section.  No  MSS.  or  versions  leave  them  out. 
The  book  has  been  in  Jewish  custody  from  the  earliest  times, 
and  no  doubt  has  been  expressed  until  recent  times.  They 
must  have  guarded  it  carefully. 

(3.)  The  allegations  that  these  sections  differ  in'style  from 
the  other  parts  of  the  book  have  been  made  in  subserviency  to 
the  objections  already  named.  There  was  no  discovery  of  dif- 
ference in  style  for  24  centuries,  and  it  was  first  brought  for- 
Avard  when  the  book  was  given  up  on  other  grounds.  What  one 
critic  condemns  as  inelegant,  another  lauds  to  the  skies.  They 
are  quite  at  variance  as  to  whether  these  sections  differ  from 
one  another.  They  all  agree  that  they  differ  from  Isaiah's  style 
in  other  places.  When  they  undertake  to  point  to  specific  dif- 
ferences in  style,  they  bring  up  such  words  and  phrases  as  do 
not  occur  in  other  parts  of  the  book.  This  may  be  true  if  it  be 
allowed  that  nothing  is  to  be  accepted  which  is  found  in  one 
book  of  a  writer,  but  not  in  another.  As  far  as  there  is  any 
difference  of  style  in  Isaiah,  it  may  be  accounted  for  by  the 
difference  of  subject  and  occasion,  or  difference  of  purpose,  if 


70  PBOPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY. 

it  be  admitted  that  the  last  seven  chapters  had  a  different  pur- 
pose. These  differences  of  style  are  the  vanities  of  style  of  a 
writer  of  great  genius  The  changes  are  due  partly  to  advanc- 
ing years.  The  objection  of  the  existence  of  words  and  phrases 
which  indicate  a  later  time  than  that  of  Isaiah,  is  established 
by  most  uncertain  data.  Suppositious  senses  are  laid  to  them. 
Words  which  occur  in  no  other  writings  of  that  time  are  said 
to  belong  to  another  period.  Sometimes  words  are  found  to 
agree  with  prophets  of  an  earlier  period,  and  these  are  rejected. 

(4.)  It  is  impossible  to  account  for  the  prophecies  in  question 
being  found  in  the  canon  if  they  were  not  his  own.  They  were 
either  put  there  innocently,  or  by  fraud,  but  how  a  writer  in 
the  time  of  the  exile  could  succeed  in  passing  one  of  his  writ- 
ings for  those  of  Isaiah,  which  were  at  the  time  of  the  forma- 
tion of  the  canon  is  unimaginable,  and  the  greater  the  number 
of  writers  the  greater  the  complexity.  How  these  chapters 
could  have  been  innocently  put  into  the  canon,  it  is  impossible 
to  see.  How  writings  could  have  appeared  in  the  time  of 
Isaiah,  and  been  mistaken  for  his  is  inconceivable.  This 
difficulty  is  greatly  exaggerated  by  the  number  of  spurious 
passages.  If  these  passages  were  taken  away  the  symmetry  of 
the  book  would  be  exceedingly  marred.  It  is  objected  to  the 
two  burdens  of  Babylon,  chs.  13,  14,  21:  1-10,  that  the  exile 
is  not  predicted,  but  implied,  therefore  the  writer  must  have 
lived  in  the  midst  of  the  exile.  Answer. — The  prophets  often 
speak  of  future  events  as  if  they  were  present,  their  certainty  is 
so  great.  The  exile  had  been  already  foretold  by  Isaiah,  ch.  5. 
It  had  been  foretold  by  Moses  in  Lev.  26.  Isaiah  in  ch.  39 
declares  who  the  agents  of  this  calamity  were  to  be.  He  speaks 
of  the  birth,  death  and  sufferings  of  the  Messiah  as  past.  Are 
we,  therefore,  to  conclude  that  these  portions  were  written  after 
the  death  of  Christ  ? 

Positive  Proofs  of  Genuineness. — (1.)  The  title  of  the  first  of 
these  burdens  (13  :  1)  expressly  alludes  to  Isaiah.  It  was  put 
there  by  the  prophet  himself,  and  was  necessary  for  the  statement 
of  the  theme.  (2.)  14  :  24-27,  The  concluding  part  of  this  burden 
is  admitted  to  belong  to  Isaiah.  Critics  have  in  vain  attempted 
to  find  a  place  for  this  passage  in  other  portions  of  the  prophecy. 
It  refers  to  Assyria,  but  where  is  there  mention  of  Assyria  at  the 
time  of  the  exile,  when  Assyria  had  passed  away  long  before? 
(3.)  21 :  1-6,  By  the  general  structure  of  the  burdens,  and 
from  the  enigmatical  title,  introducing  the  figure  of  the  Avatch- 
man.  The  structure  of  these  burdens  is  like  all  the  others, 
therefore   they    were   written    by    Isaiah.      (4.)  The  prophetic 


PROPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY.  71 

foresight  will  not  be  destroyed  by  transferring  him  to  the  latest 
period  possible — exile.  Even  when  Cyrus  was  before  the  walls 
of  Babylon,  no  one  would  believe  he  could  overcome  the  city. 

Objections  to  40-66. — (1.)  With  regard  to  the  last  chapters  of 
the  prophecy  it  is  objected  that  the  people  are  represented  as 
already  in  exile,  {a)  This  is  the  case  far  less  frequently  than  it 
is  alleged.  The  number  of  passages  which  relate  to  the  return- 
ing from  exile  is  small,  and  many  which  are  said  to  relate  to  it 
are  found  to  relate  to  it  only  in  connection  with  other  things. 
The  return  from  exile  is  from  all  quarters,  and  not  from  one. 
(h)  This  objection  would  make  these  passages  inconsistent  with 
those  in  which  the  prophet  urges  his  prediction  of  coming  events 
in  proof  of  God's  foreknowledge  and  superiority  over  idols,  41  : 
22-27  ;  43  :  9-12;  46  :  9-11.  If,  as  is  implied  in  the  objection, 
the  prophet  merely  told  what  his  contemporaries  knew,  as  well 
as  himself,  the  claims  here  put  forth  are  absurd,  (c)  QQ  :  6-20, 
Other  passages  show  that  the  temple  Avas  still  standing,  and  its 
worship  observed,  58  :  2-6  ;  m  :  1-3  ;  43  :  24  ;  65  :  11.  Other 
passages  speak  of  idolatry  as  still  existing,  but  the  Israelites  did 
not  practice  idolatry  in  exile  ;  it  must,  therefore,  have  been  be- 
fore that  time,  52  :  3  ;  65  :  11 ;  66  :  17,  and  this,  too,  in  forms  more 
probably  derived  from  Egypt  than  from  Babylon.  Other  pas- 
sages speak  of  the  people  as  courting  the  alliance  with  foreign 
monarchies,  but  this  is  the  state  of  things  before  the  exile,  {d) 
As  far  as  the  fact  is  true,  the  force  of  the  objection  is  from  con- 
founding the  ideal  present  with  the  actual  present.  Such  is  the 
assurance  of  the  prophet  with  regard  to  the  events  that  he  re- 
gards them  as  present.  53  :  3-9,  The  sufferings  of  the  Mes- 
siah are  represented  as  past,  but  no  one  says  the  prophecy  is 
after  the  time  of  Christ. 

(2.)  It  is  alleged  that  the  predictions  are  plain  till  the  close 
of  the  exile,  but  vague  thereafter,  and  this  shows  what  is  the 
standpoint  of  the  writer.  (a)  Though  the  predictions  of  the 
fact  of  the  exile,  and  deliverance  from  it  are  sufficiently  clear, 
and  are  proof  of  the  divine  foreknowledge,  it  is  to  be  observed 
that  the  expressions  are  mostly  general,  and  often  specific. 
The  name  of  Cyrus  is  given,  but  no  one  out  of  these  allusions 
could  make  anything  like  a  history  of  Cyrus.  (6)  It  is  a  com- 
mon characteristic  of  prophecy  that  it  is  not  an  indiscriminate 
disclosure  of  the  future,  but  just  so  much  of  the  future  as  to 
furnish  useful  lessons.  The  prophet  sees  only  what  is  made 
known  to  him,  and  just  that  is  foreseen  which  is  necessary  for 
the  people.  He  tells  the  people  who  are  broken  down,  that 
God  will  protect  them,  and  bring  them  to  ultimate  glory.     This 


72  PBOPHETS  AND  PEOPHECY. 

is  in  all  plainness  revealed  to  him.  (c)  In  so  far  as  the  fact  al- 
leged is  true,  it  makes  against  the  cause  for  which  it  is  used, 
clear  predictions  of  the  advance  of  Cyrus,  etc.  But  from  the 
terras  of  the  prophecy  it  might  be  inferred  that  at  that  time  the 
Messianic  period  would  come  at  once.  Considered  as  a  predic- 
tion uttered  by  Isaiah,  this  juxtaposition  is  accounted  for.  The 
Messiah  is  the  background  of  all.  Thus  in  speaking  of  deliver- 
ance from  Syria  and  Ephraim,  he  speaks  of  the  birth  from  the 
virgin.  If  Isaiah  wrote  before  Cyrus  had  taken  Babylon,  then 
he  must  have  had  foresight,  (d)  Josephus  (Ant.  XL  :  1,  2),  says 
that  these  predictions  were  shown  to  Cyrus,  and  were  one  of 
the  things  to  induce  him  to  rescue  the  people  of  God.  This 
gives  a  reason  why  Cyrus  restored  the  people  to  their  own  land. 
This  is  corroborated  by  Ezra  1  :  2.  (e)  The  figures  and  phrases 
peculiar  to  Isaiah  in  this  section  have  been  gathered  up,  and  it 
has  been  shown  that  there  are  multitudes  which  are  found  here 
and  in  other  parts  of  Isaiah,  e.  g.,  "  Holy  One  of  Israel,"  as  ap- 
plied to  God,  is  twelve  times  in  the  former  part  of  Isaiah,  and 
fourteen  times  here. 


MICAH. 

Name,  Morasthite,  in  days  of  Jotham,  Ahaz  and  Hezekiah. 
Title  disputed,  (a)  from  form  of  prophet's  name.  But  va- 
rious forms  used  interchangeably  in  same  passage  :  and  mas- 
oretic  note  to  Jer.  26  :  18  no  proof  of  later  usage  ;  (b)  from 
subject  of  prophecy,  but  see  1:  5,  6;  (c)  from  Jer.  26  :  18,  but 
this  does  not  limit  his  ministry  to  reign  of  Hezekiah;  {d)  from 
contents  of  book,  but  disagreement  of  those  who  allege  it;  4: 
9,  10  does  not  refer  to  carrying  away  of  Manasseh ;  denial  of 
prophetic  foresight. 

Summary  of  prophet's,  ministry,  not  distinct  discourses. 
Three  sections  ch.  1,  2,  chs.  3-5,  chs.  6,  7.  In  the  first,  judg- 
ment preponderates,  and  negative  side  of  coming  salvation.  In 
the  second,  mercy,  the  positive  salvation,  person  of  Messiah. 
In  the  third,  the  threatenings  justified,  and  promises  appropri- 
ated. 


PBOPHETS  AND  PROPHECY.  73 


NAHUM. 


Name,  Elkoshite,  Capernaum  ?  Date  (a)  inferred  from  posi- 
tion of  book,  (6)  from  1  :  9-14  which  refers  not  to  captivity  of 
Manasseh  but  invasion  of  Sennacherib,  (c)  from  3  :  8-10,  but 
the  event  and  its  date  uncertain.  Double  title.  Three  parts, 
ch.  1,  decree  of  Nineveh's  overthrow,  ch.  2,  its  overthrow  de- 
scribed, ch.  3,  the  reasons  of  it,  and  the  certainty  of  its  ac- 
complishment. 


CHALDEAN  PERIOD. 


Separated  from  preceding  period  by  the  ungodly  reigns  of 
Manasseh,  55  yrs.,  Anion,  2  yrs  ,  and  the  people  under  them 
were  very  bad.  Manasseh  was  woi'se  than  any  king  Israel  ever 
had.  He  erected  altars  of  idolati-y,  even  in  the  temple,  and  he 
filled  Jerusalem  with  innocent  blood,  2  Kings  21:.  1-16;  2 
Chron.  33  :  1-9.  Manasseh  repented  and  reformed  at  the  close 
of  his  reign,  but  with  so  little  effect  upon  the  popular  corrup- 
tion that  the  author  of  Kings  passes  it  over  in  silence. 

Such  was  the  state  of  things  when  Josiah,  at  8  yrs.  of  age, 
came  to  the  throne.  At  12  yrs.  of  age,  he  began  to  purge  the 
land  of  idolatry.  At  18  yrs.  he  repaired  God's  house,  and 
abolished  idolatry.  After  31  yrs.  of  reign  he  was  slain  at 
Megiddo.  Four  kings  followed,  and  all  were  wicked.  Of  these, 
the  first  and  last  were  sons  of  Josiah  by  different  mothers. 
Jehoahaz,  3  mos.,  was  carried  to  Egypt,  and  died  there.  Je- 
hoiakim,  11  yrs. ;  he  was  placed  over  the  kingdom  by  the  king 
of  Egypt ;  he  exceeded  the  others  in  wickedness.  In  his  fourth 
year,  Nebuchadnezzar  completed  his  preparation,  and  captured 
Jerusalem.  Jer.  46  :  2.  The  first  deportation  of  exiles  was  at 
this  time,  and  the  70  yrs.  captivity  must  be  reckoned  from  this 
time.  The  city  still  continued  for  some  years.  The  rebellion 
of  Jehoiiichin  (3inos.)  called  for  a  new  demonstration  on  the 
part  of  Nebuchadnezzar.  Zedekiah  was  a  weak  prince,  in  fear 
of  the  nobles  of  the  land.  He  did  not  protect  Jeremiah,  or  obey 
his.  message.  His  reign  of  11  yrs.  terminated  with  the  de- 
struction of  the  city. 

I.  This  period  is  distinguished  from   the    preceding  by  the 


74  PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

greatly  increased  and  increasing  corruption.  Several  signs  of 
this  :  (a)  The  character  of  the  kings  was  an  influential  cause  of 
the  state  of  things.  In  the  former  period  Ahaz  is  the  only 
wicked  king ;  in  this,  Josiah  is  the  only  good  one.  And  even 
in  his  time  the  idolatry  and  corruption  were  only  put  down  for 
a  time.  When  this  Avas  past  they  became  Avorse  than  ever. 
(h)  Obduracy  in  the  face  of  judgment.  In  the  former  period, 
on  the  approach  of  the  Assyrians,  Hezekiah  went  in  sackcloth, 
and  in  prayer  to  God.  But  now  Jehudi  (Jer.  36 :  23,  24)  cut 
in  pieces  the  roll  of  Jeremiah,  and  threw  it  into  the  fire.  Zede- 
kiah  refused  to  obey  the  prophets,  though  the  enemy  was  before 
the  city,  Jeremiah  chs.  37,  38,  And  the  people  were  confirmed 
in  evil,  Jer.  44  :  17,  18.  (c)  Persecution  and  martyrdom  of 
the  prophets  of  God.  The  former  prophets  complained  that 
the  people  had  not  obeyed  their  messages,  but  there  was  no 
violence  done  them.  Even  judgments  of  vvhich  they  were  fore- 
warned were  defied,  Is.  5  :  19  ;  Amos  5  :  18  ;  7  :  12,  13.  Now 
they  are  the  subjects  of  every  form  of  abuse,  2  Chron.  36:  16; 
Jer.  26  :  20-23.  {d)  Prevalence  and  influence  of  false  pro- 
phets. The  existence  of  false  prophets  was  intimated  in  the 
previous  period,  but  now  they  appear  with  an  influence  and  a 
power  such  as  they  never  had  before.  By  their  promises  they 
break  the  force  of  the  messages  of  the  true  prophets,  Jer.  28. 
This  is  an  index  of  corruption,  especially  of  the  noble  classes. 
[e)  Presumptuous  trust  in  covenant  privileges,  even  while  disre- 
garding the  conditions  of  promise,  Jer.  7  :  4.  Even  the  captiv- 
ity of  the  ten  tribes,  instead  of  confirming  to  them  the  threats 
and  warnings  of  the  true  prophets,  bolstered  their  conceit,  be- 
cause the  fact  of  their  preservation  thus  far  proved  God's 
special  favor.  And  Josiah's  reformation  seems  only  to  have 
made  them  self-righteous. 

II.  Consequence  of  nearness  of  the  divine  judgment,  God's 
forbearance  had  reached  its  last  period.  The  Assyrians  had 
passed  off  the  scene.  The  Chaldeans  are  now  charged  with  the 
execution  of  this  sentence.  Ti  ey  began  as  soon  as  good  King 
Josiah  died. 

Three  prophets  in  this  period ;  Jeremiah,  Habakkuk  and 
Zephaniah.  These  occupy  an  unequal  amount  of  space.  From 
the  long  ministry  of  Jeremiah,  we  have  full  account  of  his 
work.  Prophecies  of  Habakkuk  and  Zephaniah  are  brief,  as 
their  ministries  were.  These  books  may  be  short,  disconnected 
portions,  or  summaries  of  their  prophecies.  Of  their  persons 
we  know  nothing.  The  condition  of  things  in  Judah  at  this 
time  was  the  same  as  that  of  Israel  before  the  captivity,  which 


PROPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY.  75 

called  for  the  denunciations.  There  is  this  difierence,  however  : 
(1.)  The  kingdom  was  not  essentially  criminal,  nor  utterly  apos- 
tate. (2.)  It  still  retained  the  body  of  God's  people.  (3.)  The 
rejection,  therefore,  was  not  to  be  so  great  nor  final.  The 
kingdom  looked  at  a  future  restoration,  hence  there  is  more 
room  for  promises,  direct  and  indirect,  positive  and  negative. 
While,  therefore,  Jeremiah  is  like  Hosea,  and  Zephaniah  like 
Amos,  Habakkuk  proclaiming  the  overthrow  of  Babylon  is  in 
contrast  with  Jonah,  Jeremiah  and  Zephaniah  are  mainly  de- 
nunciatory, with  few  promises.  And  so  are  most  of  the  pro- 
phecies of  this  period.  Habakkuk  is  chiefly  consolatory. 
Judgment  is  necessary  in  order  to  break  the  fatal  security  of 
the  people.  For  the  sake  of  the  people  of  God,  in  view  of  the 
great  judgment,  it  was  important  that  the  design  and  result  of 
the  judgment  should  be  stated  in  advance.  God  was  not  to 
break  off  the  covenant  of  grace,  but  his  promises  would  still  be 
fulfilled,  Hab.  2  :  14  ;  3  :  13.  (1.)  Jeremiah  had  a  long  minis- 
try, large  book  of  prophecy.  The  other  books  are  short,  and 
their  ministries  likewise.  (2.)  Full  details  of  Jeremiah's  life, 
while  nothing  is  recorded  of  the  others.  (3.)  Jeremiah  and 
Zephaniah  principally  judgment  on  Judah,  Habakkuk  judgment 
on  Babylon.  (4.)  Promises  given  that  the  judgment  should 
not  destroy  but  purify,  limit  set  to  the  exile,  people,  city,  king- 
dom, priesthood  should  not  perish  forever,  Jer.  chs.  31-33. 
The  exile  (Jer.  29  :  10),  would  be  temporary.  Every  apparent 
loss  should  be  more  than  compensated,  Sequel  to  the  preced- 
ing period  in  Judah.  His  promise  was  still  to  stand  sure.  The 
ark  might  perish,  but  it  would  not  be  missed.  Every  loss  was 
a  real  gain,  Jer.  3:  16,  17.  The  tables  of  the  law  might  be 
lost,  but  the  law  was  written  on  their  hearts,  Jer.  31 :  31-33. 
The  Chaldean  period  is  a  sequel  of  what  had  preceded  it.  They 
were  pursuing  the  same  course  with  the  same  causes  and  simi- 
lar results.  The  same  judgment  was  still  before  them,  but  now 
nearer.  (1.)  The  range  of  foresight  of  these  prophets  did  not 
reach  beyond  that  of  the  preceding  ones.  (2.)  They  reiterate 
the  same  predictions  their  predecessors  proclaimed,  often  stat- 
ing them  in  the  same  language.  They  thus  conformed  to  the 
ancient  prophecies,  and  at  the  same  time  give  authority  for 
their  own  predictions.  No  new  or  peculiar  Messianic  predic- 
tions. Habakkuk  gives  the  negative  side  of  the  future,  the 
overthrow  of  all  that  obstructs  the  people  of  God.  Zephaniah 
is  positive,  and  tells  of  the  regathering  of  the  people  from  cap- 
tivity, and  of  their  future  glory.  Jeremiah  is  both  positive  and 
negative,   and   at   the   same  time  goes  beyond  Habakkuk  and 


76  PEOPEETS  AND  PBOPHECY. 

Zephaniah,  by  introducing  the  person  of  Christ,  as  Branch  of 
David,  over  Israel  and  Judah  united.  All  three  prophets  de- 
clare that  the  theocracy  is  now  to  break  up,  and  that  all  nations 
will  one  day  be  included  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 


JEREMIAH. 


No  more  details  of  Jeremiah's  life  are  given  than  of  any 
other  canonical  prophet.  His  name  signifies  "he  whom  God 
hath  appointed,"  but  the  usage  of  the  word  makes  it  mean,  "  he 
whom  God  will  throw  down,"  and  his  was  a  ministry  of  over- 
throw and  reconstruction,  1  :  10.  He  was  son  of  Hilkiah, 
priest  in  Anathoth.  He  was,  thei'efore,  of  priestly  descent, 
like  Ezekiel.  Was  Hilkiah  the  same  as  the  one  mentioned  in 
2  Kings  22:  4?  It  is  not  certain,  but  probably  they  Avere  dif- 
ferent persons.  For  (1.)  Jeremiah's  father  is  never  called  the 
High-Priest.  (2.)  1  Chron.  9  :  U  ;  Nehemiah  11 :  11.  The 
High-Priest,  Hilkiah,  was  from  Zadok,  of  the  family  of  Eleazer, 
to  whom  this  dignity  Avas  transferred,  1  Chron.  24 :  35  ;  1 
Kings  2 :  35.  (3.)  In  addition,  it  has  been  alleged  that  the 
High-Priest  must  reside  in  Jerusalem.  This  is  questioned,  if 
the  Hilkiah  of  Jer.  29  :  3,  is  the  prophet's  father,  then  the  pro- 
phet had  a  brother.  The  hostility  of  his  house  against  him  is 
recorded  in  the  12th  ch.  37  :  2,  he  had  a  cousin  and  an  .uncle. 
His  uncle  is  said  to  be  the  same  Shallum  who  was  the  husband 
of  the  prophetess  Huldah,  2  Kings  22  :  14.  Anathoth  was  es- 
tablished for  the  possession  of  the  priests,  Josh.  21  :  18.  It 
was  three  miles  north  of  Jerusalem.  Here  the  prophet  was 
born,  29  :  27,  and  spenc  his  early  years.  He  was  called  at  an 
early  age,  1 :  6.  This  was  the  year  after  Josiah  began  his  first 
reformation.  He  Avas,  therefore,  called  early  to  aid  this  pious 
king  in  his  work.  His  youth  may  not  have  been  so  great  as  it 
seems  to  be  from  the  expression,  "  a  child,"  Avhich  is  applied 
to  him.  This  term  was  applicable  from  birth  to  twenty  years 
of  age.  We  do  not  read  that  he  ever  acted  as  priest,  and  we 
know  he  was  never  married,  16:  2.  In  the  title  of  the  book, 
1 :  2,  3,  mention  is  made  of  Josiah.  But  Jehoahaz  and  Jeho- 
iachin  are  omitted.  His  ministry  Avas  forty  years,  to  the  cap- 
ture of  Jerusalemc  Under  Josiah,  eighteen  years,  13  :  31 ;  Je- 
hoash,    three    months ;    Jehoiakira,    eleven   years ;  Jehoiachin, 


FBOPHETS  AND  PBOPHEGY.  77 

three  months ;  Zedekiah,  fourteen  years.  Two  remarks  :  (a) 
The  omission  of  two  of  these  kings  made  in  Jeremiah,  is  ac- 
counted for  either  by  the  brevity  of  their  reigns,  or  because 
nothing  occurs  to  bring  out  anything  from  the  prophet.  (6) 
The  ministry  of  the  prophet  is  spoken  of  as  extending  only  to 
the  captivity  of  Jerusalem,  whereas  the  prophecies  of  chapters 
40-46  were  after  that  date,  Dan.  1 :  21. 

Jeremiah's  task  was  to  testify  of  the  coming  ruin.  He  had 
done  this  for  a  long  time.  The  kingdom  was  overthrown,  and 
the  people  came  into  captivity.  Jn  order  to  complete  the  pic- 
ture, he  traces  the  fortunes  of  the  remnant  left  behind  in 
Jerusalem,  and  going  from  bad  to  worse.  We  are  not  to  un- 
derstand, therefore,  that  his  ministry  extended  only  to  the  cap- 
tivity. Whatever  he  was  to  tell  after  this  Avas  not  so  import- 
ant. Dan.  1 :  21,  a  parallel  "  until  the  first  year  of  Cyrus ; " 
but  we  find  him  after  the  third  year  of  Cyrus.  Yet  the  most 
important  part  of  his  ministry  was  before  the  first  year. 

Three  great  events.  1.  The  reformation  of  Josiah.  2.  Cap- 
ture of  Jerusalem  in  the  fourth  year  of  Jehoiakim.  3.  Its  de- 
struction in  the  eleventh  year  of  Zedekiah.  With  the  mention 
of  2  :  21  and  12  :  6  of  the  hostile  treatment  of  the  men  of  Ana- 
thoth,  some  have  said  he  began  his  ministry  in  the  place  of 
his  birth,  but  meeting  with  persecution  there,  went  to  Jeru- 
salem. But  2  :  2  says  he  exercised  his  ofiice  in  Jerusalem 
from  the  first,  its  vicinity  being  such  that  men  of  Anathoth 
could  exercise  hostility  toward  him  there  easily.  Was  per- 
secuted, 36  :  5  ;  22  :  2.  The  command,  in  11 :  6,  to  the  cities 
of  Judah,  does  not  say  that  his  ministry  was  itinerant,  be- 
cause 26  :  2,  he  is  represented  as  doing  the  same.  No  other 
prophet  except  Isaiah  met  with  such  treatment.  He  was  per- 
secuted by  others  as  well  as  by  citizens  of  Anathoth.  Even 
Isaiah  retired  from  persecution,  while  Jeremiah  kept  on.  He 
was  warned  of  this  when  he  was  commissioned  of  God.  He 
was  met  with  sneers,  23  :  33-40.  People  upheld  their  false 
prophets  who  attempted  to  destroy  the  force  of  Jeremiah's  mes- 
sages. The  sight  of  this  evil  from  the  people  of  God  was  al- 
most too  much  for  such  a  prophet,  and  he  20  :  14-18,  curses  the 
day  of  his  birth.  It  was  not  timidity,  for  no  one  can  exceed 
him  in  courage.  20  :  11-13.  His  enemies  were  not  confined  to 
words,  but  extended  to  acts,  20  :  1-6,  put  in  stocks  by  Pashur. 
Arrested  on  charge  of  treason,  36  :  5,  not  imprisoned  but  under 
restraint.  So  that,  36  :  19,  he  could  not  with  safety  show  him- 
self. Ch.  29  :  26,  27,  his  punishment  was  demanded  from 
Zephaniah.     The  prophet  attempted  to  leave  the  city  37  :  13, 


78  PBOPHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

In  spite  of  his  denial  of  treason  he  was  put  in  prison  26  :  8. 
Cast  into  a  pit  in  the  court  of  the  prison  to  die,  39  :  15-18.  His 
imprisonment  must  have  lasted  nine  months.  During  this  time 
Zephaniah  consulted  him  secretly  twice.  Jeremiah  came  into 
Egypt  Avhen  the  Jews  fled  thence,  and  he  remained  there. 

Legends  concerning  Jeremiah. — That  he  was  stoned  by  the 
Jews,  and  that  his  grave  is  in  Cairo.  Alexandrian  Jews  loved 
him  because  he  had  been  Avith  them  in  Egypt,  and  they  have 
many  legends  about  him,  2  Mac.  2  :  1-7 ;  15  :  15,  16.  From 
Matt.  16  :  14,  it  appears  that  at  the  time  of  Christ,  there  was 
an  expectation  of  his  personal  re-appearance,  which  may  be  ac- 
counted for  by  the  fact  that  no  mention  is  made  of  his  death. 
Many  think  that  he  is  one  of  the  two  witnesses  in  Rev.  11. 

The  Septuagint  differs  from  A.  V.  very  considerably.  33  : 
14-26,  have  been  dropped.  46  :  46-51  are  not  only  in  a  differ- 
ent order  among  themselves,  but  the  entire  section  has  been  re- 
moved to  stand  after  ch.  26.  These  differences  are  remarked 
on  by  Jerome  and  Origen.  Jerome — carelessness  of  transcrib- 
ers. The  Septuagint  made  from  a  faulty  MS.  Michaelis  says 
there  was  one  edition  in  Egypt  after  the  prophet's  death.  From 
the  nature  of  the  variations  it  is  evident  that  they  can  not  be 
traced  to  the  ordinary  differences  in  copying.  They  must  have 
had  a  purpose. 

Text  and  Plan  of  Jeremiah. — Discrepancies  between  Hebrew 
and  Greek  text,  abbreviations,  additions,  alterations,  transposi- 
tions, remarked  by  Origen  and  Jerine.  Theories  of  Egyptian 
and  Palestine  editions  of  the  original.  Due  to  the  translator, 
(a)  Their  character ;  {b)  inaccuracies  and  arbitrary  changes  in 
other  books  ;  (c)  2  Chron.  36  :  20.  Prophecies  not  in  chrono- 
logical order:  Hence  many  commentators  complain  want  of  ar- 
rangement and  confusion.  Lightfoot  and  Blaney  assume  acci- 
dental dislocation.  Eichborn's  hypothesis  is  that  there  were  dif- 
ferent editions  of  this  book.  (1.)  These  statements  are  based 
on  a  false  assumption.  The  disorder  claimed  does  not  exist. 
(2.)  These  hypotheses  are  mere  figments  of  the  brain.  The  only 
solution  they  offer  is  a  mere  chance.  (3.)  Nothing  can  be  safely 
built  on  the  roll  of  Baruch,  36,  because  the  contents  of  it  are 
unknown.  They  were  not  for  permanent  preservation,  but  for 
a  special  occasion,  36  :  32.  (4.)  These  theories  regard  the  for- 
mation of  the  book  as  a  mere  mechanical  work,  thrown  about 
without  any  ideas  at  all.  This  excludes  any  participation  by 
the  prophet  in  the  arrangement  of  the  book.  Reaction  in  Ger- 
man criticism,  and  now  Ewald  recognizes  an  orderly  arrange- 
ment. 


PROPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY.  79 

The  Book  from  Jeremiah  Himself. — That  the  book  in  its  pre- 
sent form  proceeded  from  the  prophet  is  shown  :  (1.)  By  the  fre- 
quent use  of  the  first  person,  both  in  the  individual  prophecies, 
and  the  headings  of  the  transpositions,  which  show  that  he  com- 
posed and  arranged  them,  12  :  6.  (2.)  In  the  fourth  and  fifth 
years  of  Jehoiakim,  36  :  2-32,  he  reduced  to  writing  what  had 
been  given  him.  He  was  again  told,  30  :  2,  to  write.  That  the 
prophetical  book  could  not  have  been  produced  at  the  time  is 
evident  from  the  fact  that  these  are  productions  after  that  time, 
and  formulas  of  transition.  The  arrangement  topical,  hinted 
27  :  12.  Not  written  piecemeal  in  the  course  of  his  ministry, 
but  a  continuous  composition  prepared  at  its  close.  1.  Prophe- 
cies of  different  periods  put  together,  those  of  the  same  period 
dispersed.  2.  Prophecies  accompanied  by  remarks  made  at  a 
later  period,  25  :  1.  3.  Allusions  to  succeeding  portions  of  the 
book.     4.   Systematic  disposition  of  the  matter. 

Analysis  of  Jeremiah. — Three  sections  with  a  historical 
appendix,  ch.  52.  I.  chs.  1-33,  Prediction  of  the  judgment 
and  the  restoration.  II.  chs.  34-45,  History  of  the  judgment. 
III.  chs.  46-51,  Predictions  respecting  foreign  nations.  First 
section  subdivided.  A.  chs.  1-20,  General  denunciation  of 
Judah.  B.  chs.  21-23,  Civil  and  religious  leaders.  C.  chs. 
24-29,  Design  and  duration  of  the  judgment.  D.  chs.  30-33, 
Blessings  which  would  follow.  Threatening  preponderates,  but 
a  few  words  of  promise  in  each  division  till  the  last.  In  A.  not 
separate  discourses,  but  continuous  treatment  of  one  theme ; 
no  date  except  3 :  6.  Second  section.  A.  chs.  34-38,  Evi- 
dences of  ripeness  for  judgment.  B.  ch.  39,  Destruction  of  the 
city.  C.  chs.  40-45,  Fortunes  of  the  remnant.  No  promise  to 
the  people,  only  one  in  each  division  to  individuals,  the  Rechab- 
ites,  35  :  18,  19  ;  Ebed-melech,  39 :  15-18  ;  Baruch,  ch.  45. 

Contents  of  Jeremiah. — Abounds  in  symbols,  {a)  Visions  : 
almond  tree,  1 :  11,  12  ;  seething-pot,  1 :  13, 14  ;  baskets  of  figs, 
ch.  24  ;  wine  cup  25  :  15.  {b)  Actions  :  girdle,  13  :  1-11 ; 
potter's  vessels,  l8:  1-6;  bottle  broken,  19:  1-13;  yoke,  27: 
1-11  ;  field  purchased,  32  :  6-15  ;  Rechabites,  ch.  35  ;  stones  in 
the  brick-kiln,  43  :  8-10  ;  book  sunk  in  the  Euphrates,  51 :  59-64. 
(c)  Names,  Magor-missabib,  20  :  3  ;  Shallum,  22  :  11  ;  Coniah, 
22  :  24  ;  new  application  of  Jehoiakim  and  Zedekiah,  23 :  5,6; 
Sheshach,  25  :  26  ;  "  the  midst  of  them  that  rise  up  against  me," 
51 :  1 ;  Merathaim,  Pekod,  50  :  21. 

I.  A.  Ch.  1,  introductory,  describes  character  of  his 
ministry,  first  literally,  then  symbolically,  in  two  visions.  Chs. 
2-20,   divided    by    headings    into    three    parts.      (1.)   Chs.  1-6 


80  PBOPHETS  AND  PBOPHEGY. 

argument  of  doom,  (a)  2  :  1 ;  3  :  5  Judah  guilty  of  forsaking 
Jehovah,  (h)  3  :  6  ;  4:2  Judah  worse  than  Israel.  3  :  14 
Judah  shnll  be  brought  back  to  Zion,  and  God  will  recognize 
His  marriage  relation  to  them  on  condition  of  their  returning  to 
Him.  This  will  be  fulfilled  not  in  the  return  of  the  entire 
body,  but  even  to  single  individuals.  Instead  of  the  foreign 
oppressors  under  whose  sway  they  were,  3  :  15,  they  shall 
have  pastors  like  David.  1  Sam.  3  :  14 ;  Jer.  3  :  16.  (c)  4  : 
3 ;  6  :  20,  Judah  to  be  visited  with  desolation  and  exile.  (2.) 
Neh.  7  :  13,  Judah's  covenant  privileges  could  not  save  him. 
The  ark  of  the  covenant  was  to  be  destroyed  even  though 
Judah  was  relying  upon  it.  God  will  reveal  Himself  to  the 
pious  among  the  people,  in  such  a  way  as  they  had  not  ex- 
perienced before.  The  whole  city  of  God's  people  will  be  made 
Avhat  the  ark  had  been  before,  v.  17.  All  nations  would  be 
gathered  to  Jerusalem.  The  promises  of  Jeremiah  are  sub- 
stantially a  repetition  of  those  of  Hosea  and  Amos.  There  are 
some  differences,  however,  (a)  In  Jeremiah  there  is  an  enlarg- 
ment  of  God's  grace.  The  condition  of  promise  is  more  indi- 
vidual, (h)  The  announcement  of  Judah's  fall  is  made  with 
more  distinctness,  because  the  time  of  the  evil  was  so  much 
nearer.  The  speaking  of  the  ark  of  the  covenant  as  being 
taken  away  and  destroyed  implies  a  change  in  the  whole 
economy.  The  ark  had  given  value  to  the  temple,  and  if  that 
Avas  gone,  everything  was  lost,  unless  a  new  order  of  things 
should  come  in  to  take  its  place.  A  new  dispensation  here,  and 
in  ch.  31,  was  particularly  ;ippropri:ite  because  demolition  was 
already  about  to  take  place.  The  taking  away  of  the  ark  is  not 
understood  by  those  who  think  there  will  be  a  return  to  the 
rituals  of  Judaism,  for  what  will  they  be  without  the  ark  ?  2 
Chron.  35  :  3.  The  prophet  then  goes  on  to  say  that  Judah  will  be 
given  into  the  hands  of  the  heathen  even  as  Israel  was.  The 
temple  would  not  save  them,  7 :  4 ;  nor  their  sacrifices, 
7  :  21  ;  nor  their  possession  of  the  law,  8:8;  nor  the  presence 
of  God,  8:19;  nor  their  circumcision,  9  :  25,  26.  Jeremiah 
12  :  14-17  contains  a  promise  to  the  Gentiles.  God  will  return 
to  them  and  bring  them  to  His  heritage.  The  form  of  this 
promise  gives  us  a  hint  as  to  the  literal  method  of  interpreta- 
tion. If  this  prophecy  does  not  and  can  not  mean  that  the 
lineal  descendents  of  Babylon  shall  be  built  up  again  in  their 
own  land,  then  why  are  we  compelled  to  regard  the  promises  in 
the  case  of  Israel  as  literally  a  return  to  their  own  land?  (3.) 
Chs.  14-20.  Judah's  doom  terrible  and  inevitable.  Yet  there 
is  a  promise  of  distant  mercy  in  a  form  implying  the  nearer 
judgment,  13:  14,  15. 


PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY.  81 

B.  Chs.  21-28.  The  people  having  been  sentenced,  the  pro- 
phet turns  to  the  leaders  of  the  people  upon  whom  the  guilt 
falls.  He  rebukes  the  kings  of  former  days,  and  then  con- 
trasts with  them  the  future  faithful  shepherds,  and  especially 
Messiah. 

C.  Chs.  24-29.  Purpose  and  duration  of  the  exile  declared 
in  the  reign  of  Jehoiakim,  "  whom  the  Lord  shall  raise  up." 
The  former  Jehoiakim  was  only  a  parody  of  the  kino^  who 
should  come.  Zedekiah,  "  the  Lord  our  righteousness."  Here 
again  the  first  is  the  mere  parody  of  the  second.  Jeremiah 
concludes  the  first  section  of  the  book  with  a  series  of  promises. 

D.  Chs.  30-33.  These  four  chapters  are  promissory  of  bless- 
ings to  follow  the  judgments;  as  appears  from  title  of  ch.  32. 
They  are  divided  into  two  parts  of  two  chapters  each. 

(1)  Chs.  30-31.  1.  Ch.  3G.  (a)  To  both  branches  of  the 
covenant  people,  [h)  To  the  people  separately.  To  Israel, 
31 :  1-21.  To  Judah,  31 :  22-30.  The  promise  is  that  they 
should  be  restored  with  David  as  their  king.  (2)  The  promise 
is  that  God  will  entei-  into  a  new  and  more  intimate  covenant 
relation  with  them  than  formerly  when  they  came  out  of  Egypt. 
And  hence  (31  :  31-34,)  all  shall  know  the  Lord.  The  covenant 
written  upon  stone  shall  be  engraved  upon  their  hearts.  The 
relation  to  the  people  shall  be  indissoluble,  fixed  as  the  natural 
laws  of  God,  31 :  35-37.  (3.)  These  three  truths,  {a)  the  res- 
toration, (b)  the  new  intensity,  (c)  the  perpetuity  of  the  theoc- 
racy, having  been  stated  in  literal  terms  (31  :  38-40),  are  again 
set  forth  under  a  figure  of  the  rebuilding  of  Jerusalem  ;  not 
only  in  its  former  dimensions,  but  greatly  enlarged.  It  shall  be 
rebuilt  so  as  to  extend  over  new  territory  outside,  and  formerly 
regarded  as  polluted,  but  now  made  sacred.  Hill  of  Gareb,  31 : 
39,  the  hill  of  the  lepers,  that  profane  spot  outside  of  the  city, 
where  the  lepers  were  banished.  Goath  (31  :  39)  :  About  the 
meaning  of  this  there  is  a  question.  But  the  derivation  of  the 
word  will  decide  it.  It  may  be  derived  either  from  goah,  to  ex- 
pire, or  gaah,  to  groan.  It  is  probable  that  it  denotes  the  place 
of  the  execution  of  criminals.  The  temple  is  to  include  all 
these,  and  also  ''  the  whole  valley  of  dead  bodies  ;"  not  the 
cemetery,  but  the  valley  of  Hinnom,  which  was  a  very  unclean 
place,  and  the  image  of  hell,  "  And  of  the  ashes."  This  place 
is  the  spot  to  which  the  ashes  from  the  temple  sacrifices  were 
carried  out  of  the  city.  "  And  all  the  fields  unto  the  brook  of 
Kedron."  These  fields  Josiah  had  defiled  by  strewing  the  ashes 
of  the  idolatrous  vessels  which  had  been  burned  upon  the  grass 
of  the  worshipers  of  the  false  gods,  Baal  and  Astarte,  2  Kings 


82  PROPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY. 

22  :  24-26.  All  these  places  were  profane,  yet  to  be  included 
within  the  limits  of  the  restored  city,  and  to  become  holy  to  the 
Lord.  Idolatry  and  pollution  were  not  only  not  to  come  into 
the  city,  but  the  holiness  of  the  city  should  reach  out  and  hal- 
low even  that  which  before  had  been  regarded  as  irretrievably 
unclean.  That  these  promises  do  not  belong  to  the  material 
Jerusalem,  nor  to  the  natural  Jerusalem  as  such,  but  to  the  spir- 
itual people  of  God,  is  apparent,  (a)  from  inspired  application, 
Heb.  8  :  8  :  10  :  15-17.  ip)  Also  Jeremiah's  words  elsewhere. 
God's  promises  not  bound  by  nationality  irrespective  of  charac- 
ter, 18  :  6-10 ;  the  true  Israel  preserved  in  the  faithful  few  not- 
withstanding the  rejection  of  the  unbelieving  mass,  3  :  14  ;  24  : 
4-10  ;  and  the  building  of  heathen  in  the  midst  of  God's  people, 
12  :  6  ;  Avhen  the  covenant  of  stone  has  been  broken.  God  will 
put  his  law  in  their  inward  parts  and  write  it  in  their  hearts, 
31 :  83.  After  the  ark  has  been  taken  away  (3  :  16),  what  is 
there  to  give  sacredness  to  Jerusalem,  which  is  not  possessed  by 
every  other  city  which  is  spiritual  ?      Cf.  John  4 :  21-23. 

(2)  Chs.  32-33.  Promises  by  restoration  repeated,  re-af- 
firmed, and  enforced  by  the  symbol  of  the  purchase  of  the  field 
of  Anathoth,  outside  the  city.  This  indicates  the  certainty  of 
a  restoration.  He  then,  in  addition,  gives:  1.  Assurance  of 
the  perpetuity  of  royalty  and  priesthood  (33  :  17,  18).  The 
purpose  of  God  in  this  matter  is  as  fixed  as  the  succession  of 
day  and  night.  2.  The  multiplication  of  those  invested  with 
royal  and  priestly  dignity  (33  :  22).  Judah  was  on  the  point 
of  being  broken  up  and  the  temple  destroyed,  the  throne  of 
David  cast  down.  But  Jeremiah  would  teach  the  people  of  God 
that  these  things  will  not  continue  forever.  A  glorious  future 
is  before  them.  The  theocracy  is  not  dissolved,  but  only  inter- 
rupted, to  be  restored  again  into  a  more  glorious  condition. 
The  promise  (33  :  17,  18),  is  that  David  and  the  priesthood 
should  never  lack  successors.  The  marginal  reading  is  the  true 
rendering.  This  secures  from  extirpation,  but  not  from  tempo- 
rary interruption.  Cf.  2  Sam.  7  :  14-16  ;  Ps.  89  :  29-37,  with 
Jer.  33  :  22.  These  promises  are  fulfilled  iu  a  threefold  way. 
{a)  In.  a  partial  fulfillment  in  Zerubbabel,  who,  though  not 
strictl}'  king,  exercised  some  regal  functions,  {h)  Further  ful- 
filled in  Christ,  who  is  the  seed  of  David,  (c)  Finally  in  all  the 
true  people  of  God  who  are  all  to  be  made  kings  and  adopted 
into  the  house  of  David.  That  this  is  intended  appears  from 
33 :  22,  where  the  vast  multiplication  of  the  house  of  David  is 
mentioned.  1.  The  perpetuity  of  the  kingdom  does  not  require 
such  a  vast  number  of    descendants.     2.  Its  fulfillment  in  the 


PBOPBETS  AXD  PMOPHECY.  83 

line  of  natural  seed  is  not  only  not  verified  by  fact,  but  would 
be  preposterous  and  anything  but  a  blessing.  Therefore  the 
Septuagint  dropped  this  passage.  A  reigning  family  thus  mul- 
tiplied ^YOuld  be  burdensome  for  the  people  to  support.  3.  The 
language  of  the  promise  is  in  the  precise  terms  of  that  to 
Abraham.  Therefore  the  entire  family  of  Abraham  is  merged 
in  the  house  of  David.  4.  This  was  the  true  idea  of  Israel,  as 
the  people  of  God.  They  were  (Ex.  19 :  6,)  kings  and  priests. 
These  functions  for  a  time  were  entrusted  to  individuals,  but 
were  to  revert  to  the  people.  5.  The  N.  T.  teaches  its  fulfill- 
ment in  all  the  people  of  God,  1  Pet.  2:9;  Rev.  1 :  6 ;  5  :  10. 
Priesthood. — There  is  an  analogous  fulfillment  with  respect  to 
the  priesthood.  1.  Literal  in  the  return  from  the  captivity.  2. 
Christ  as  perpetual  priest.  3.  All  the  true  people  of  God  are 
priests,  and  are  included  in  the  family  of  Levi.  That  this  last 
is  included  appears  not  only  from  the  analogy  of  kingship  but 
also  because  :  1.  The  thing  really  contemplated  in  the  promise 
is  that  the  priesthood  should  be /Jerpe^waZ.  No  stress  was  laid 
on  its  being  in  the  fleshly  family  of  Levi.  The  point  at  issue 
was  not  the  prerogative  of  a  tribe  but  the  condition  of  the  people. 
The  ofiice  should  remain.  2.  Jeremiah  often  intimates  the  abol- 
ishment of  the  old  economy,  which  implies  a  change  of  outward 
form.  The  ark  of  the  covenant  (3  :  16)  was  to  be  taken  away. 
This  intimates  the  abolishment  of  the  old  economy  of  which  the 
ark  was  the  great  representative.  Ch.  31 :  1-2  says  a  new  cov- 
enant was  to  supersede  the  old  covenant.  3  An  older  prophet 
speaks  in  like  manner  (Isaiah  66  :  21 ;  61  :  6)  of  the  entire 
people  of  God.  4,  From  the  providence  of  God.  The  priest- 
hood of  the  tribe  of  Levi  has  never  been  literally  perpetuated, 
and  could  not  now  be  except  by  miracle,  for  all  the  tribal  dis- 
tinctions are  lost.  If  the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah  is  to  meet  with 
any  fulfillment  at  all,  it  must  be  spiritual.  5.  Teachings  of  N. 
T.  6.  Even  such  a  literalist  as  Henderson  confesses  this.  ''We 
are  shut  up  to  the  spiritual  interpretation  of  this  passage." 

II.  Chs.  34-45.  A.  34-48,  facts  adduced  as  specimens  and 
evidences  of  the  prevailing  corruption.  Hebrew  servants,  ch. 
34.  Rechabites,  ch.  35,  Jehoiakim,  cii.  36,  Zedekiah,  chs.  37, 
38.  B.  ch.  39,  Destruction  of  city.  C.  chs.  40-45,  The  wretched 
remnant,  closing  with  personal  promise  to  Baruch. 

III.  Chs.  46-51,  Probably  in  chronological  order.  Promises 
to  Egypt,  Moab,  Amnion  and  Elam  ;  none  to  Babylon,  51  :  65. 
Ch.  52,  historical  appendix,  perhaps  added  by  another.  (1.) 
Jer.  51 :  64.  (2.)  Similar  narrative  in  ch.  39.  (3.)  Date  of 
52  :   31-34,  twenty-six  years  after  the  destruction  of  the  city. 


PBOPHETS  AND  FEOPHECY. 


(4.)  Coincidence  with  2  Kings.  Contains  no  mention  of  return 
from  exile.  Jeremiah's  adoption  of  hxnguage  of  preceding 
books,  especially  ch.  48,  Moab  ;  49  :  7,  etc.,  Edom  ;  affords  in- 
cidental proof  of  their  genuineness ;  variations  not  arise  from 
corruption  of  text. 


LAMENTATIONS. 


One  of  the  five  Megilloth,  in  Hagiographa  or  after  Jeremiah, 
catalogues  of  canon.  Hebrew,  Greek  and  Latin  names.  Not 
composed  with  reference  to  death  of  Josiah,  2  Chron.  35  :  25, 
nor  on  occasion  of  his  death  with  foresight  of  destruction  of 
city,  but  on  occurrence  of  this  latter  event.  Five  sections  of 
one  chapter  each  ;  all  alphabetical  but  the  last ;  ch.  3,  triple 
recurrence  of  each  letter  ;  chs.  2,  3,  4,  transposition  of  Ayin 
and  Pe.  Not  distinct  elegies  relating  to  successive  stages  of 
Jerusalem's  overthrow.  Written  b}'  Jeremiah,  (a)  unanimous 
voice  of  tradition,  verse  prefixed  in  Septuagint  and  Vulgate, 
Josephus,  Origen,  Jerome,  Talmud,  (h)  correspondence  with 
character  of  prophet,  coincidences  in  statement  of  facts  and 
forms  of  expression,  (c)  no  ground  for  disputing  it. 


HABAKKUK. 


Of  the  present  and  personal  circumstances  of  the  prophet  we 
know  nothing,  except  from  his  book.  It  is  inferred  from  3  :  19, 
his  last  words,  that  he  was  of  the  tribe  of  Levi,  and  one  of  the 
family  engaged  in  sacred  music  of  the  temple.  This  is  plausible, 
and,  if  true,  it  gives  a  real  explanation  of  the  close  resemblance 
of  ch.  3  to  the  Psalms,  and  the  adoption  there  of  so  many  tech- 
nical terms  which  belong  to  the  Psalms.  The  title  of  ch.  3,  and 
the  subscription  are  both  modeled  after  the  Psalms.  Selah 
occurs  three  times;  and  the  last  verse  is  almost  verbatim  from 
the  Psalms.  If  this  be  held,  it  would  be  another  instance  of 
prophets  taken  from  the  temple  servitors.  Jeremiah,  Zechariah, 
and  Ezekiel  were  priests,  while  the  prophets  of  the  former  period 


PBOPHETS  AND  PROPHECY.  85 

were  independent  of  the  sacred  orders,  in   this  degenerate  age 
the  fittest  material  was  found  among  the  priests. 

The  date  of  the  prophet  is  inferred  from,  1.  That  the  invasion 
of  the  Chaldeans  would  be  in  the  lifetime  of  that  generation,  1  : 
5,  6.  Hence  not  in  the  reign  of  Josiah.  2.  Chap.  2  :  20  im- 
plies that  the  temple  was  standing.  Musical  worship  still  con- 
tinued in  the  temple  (3  :  19).  This  was  probably  after  the 
twelfth  year  of  Josiah's  reign.  Hence  Habakkuk  was  a  con- 
temporary of  Jeremiah  and  Zephaniah,  and  not  more  than  24 
years  before  the  invasion  of  Nebuchadnezzar.  3.  The  order  of 
minor  prophets.  Some  try  to  fix  the  date  more  exactly,  by  com- 
paring it  with  Jeremiah  and  Zephaniah.  Thus,  it  is  said,  that 
as  Jeremiah  is  much  more  specific  as  to  the  Babylonian  con- 
quest, while  Habakkuk  mentions  only  the  bare  fact,  therefore 
Habakkuk  was  before  Jeremiah.  This  is  sometimes  the  case, 
but  not  always,  and  therefore  can  not  be  made  the  basis  of  argu- 
ment. Sometimes  it  is  reversed,  e.  g  ,  Isaiah  prophesied  the 
overthrow  of  Babylon  more  minutely  than  did  Habakkuk. 
Again,  there  are  passages  in  which  Jeremiah  and  Zephaniah 
have  borrowed  the  language  of  Habakkuk.  Yet  while  this  is 
probably  true,  the  argument  as  to  priority  is  questionable,  be- 
cause it  can  be  so  easily  reversed.  The  design  is  both  minatory 
and  consolatory.  Minatory  to  chastise  sinners  in  Judah  ;  con- 
solatory to  comfort  the  pious.  As  to  the  prophecy  of  the  over- 
throw of  Babylon,  observe  :  I.  Its  dramatic  power.  First 
he  speaks  to  God  for  the  people.  Then  God  answers.  Then 
the  prophet  speaks  for  himself.  Then  God  speaks  to  the  pro- 
phet. Finally  he  gives  utterance  to  his  prophecies  of  joy. 
What  is  peculiur  is  this  regular  alternation  from  beginning  to 
end,  and  is  an  index  of  the  psychological  condition  of  the  pro- 
phet. He  is  in  a  rapt,  ecstatic  state,  and  the  form  of  the  pro- 
phecy reproduces  his  own  states  of  mind ;  and  the  dramatism  is 
not  merely  a  form,  or  due  to  fancy,  but  is  what  really  took 
place,  like  the  visions  of  other  prophets.  The  prophet  is  not  an 
artist,  but  a  seer.  But  this  ecstacy  does  not  supersede  his  nat- 
ural faculties,  but  lifts  them  to  a  higher  sphere.  The  fact  is, 
the  prophetical  inspiration  has  its  analogy  Avith  spiritual  illum- 
ination. A  real  supernatural  communication  is  made  ah  extra. 
Yet  the  extraordinary  method  attaches  itself  to  the  ordinary 
methods  used  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  facts  revealed  are  not 
absolutely  new  truths.  The  unknown  is  imparted  as  limited 
with  what  was  previously  understood,  and  a  sense  of  need  is 
created  which  demands  the  new  truth  ;  and  thus  God  revealed 
His  purpose  that  the  land  should  be  ravaged  by  the  Chaldeans, 


86  PEOPHETS  AND  PUOPIIECY. 

and  they  in  turn  overthrown.     But  this  was  disclosed  as  part  of 
the  spiritual  training  of  the  people,  and  hence  given  in  their 
moral  senses  and  relations.     Judah  Avas  very  corrupt.     Fraud 
and    impiety    were    unchecked.      God's    law    was    disregarded. 
Shocked  by  this,  and  personal  wrongs,  the  pious,  through  Ha- 
bakkuk,  appeal  to  God  if  He  Avill  longer  tolerate  it.     They  are 
in  extremity  and  look  up  to  God.     Then  the  answer  comes  in  a 
revelation  adapted  to  this  state  of  need.     God  will  punish    by 
the  Chaldeans.     But  with  this  come  fresh  doubts  and  difficul- 
ties.    The  fear  lest  the  fierce  Chaldeans  should  involve  in  pun- 
ishment the  good  and  bad  together.     Hence  thej'  appeal  to  God 
again  ;  and  plant  themselves  upon  His  attributes  and  covenant 
relations.     The}''  cling  to  the  conviction  that  the  Chaldean  in- 
vasion was  for  correction  and  not  for  destruction.    They  appeal 
to    God  as  governor   of  the  world.     Thus  the  new  complexi- 
ties of  Providence    demand    fresh    solutions,  and    the    prophet 
waits  the  answer.     It  then  comes.     The  Chaldeans  themselves 
shall  be  trodden  doAvn,  and  the  people  abide  the  retribution  of 
Jehovah.     And  hence  the  people  of  God  are  prepared  f)r  ven- 
geance in  the  same  way  in  which  they  are  ever  prepared  for  new 
supplies  of  grace.     But  while  this  is  true,  we  must  not  confound 
the  two  methods.     Here  there  is  a  real  disclosure  of  truth.  The 
prophet  does  not  infer  a  judgment  on  themselves  and  upon  the 
Chaldeans,  and  then  announce  these  results  ;  but  he  had  a  divine 
revelation  necessitating  his  belief.     We  have  the  same  general 
providence  to  guide  us,  but  we  can  not  so  supply  it  as  to  make 
it  reveal  the  future.     Hence  there  was  a  real  revelation,  and  not 
a  mere  inference  ;  which  would  be  conjectural,    delusive,  and 
unfulfilled.     Still  less  is  it  a  vaticinium  post  evenium.     Nor  is  it 
a  declaration  of  what  was  so  near  as  to  be  within  the  power  of 
human  foresight.     On   the  contrary  the  prophets  declare  that 
they  would  not  believe  it  though  it   were  told  them.     And  the 
fact  of  the  overthrow  of  Babylon  could  not  be  calculated  upon. 
Hence  the  future  is  disclosed,  not  as  mere  disjointed  facts,  but 
as  the  laying  bare  of  the  links  which  bound  the  future  to  the 
present.     This  lays  the  foundation  of  the  propheiicum  curricu- 
lum, a  common  track  which  all  pursue.     They  proceed  from  a 
charge  of  sin  to  its  penalty.     And  if   in    reference    to    God's 
people,  the}'  proceed    to  faot    of  deliverance.     Observe    these 
especially  in  Habakkuk.     He  begins  with  the  sins  in  Judah  ; 
passes  to  their  punishment  by  the  Chaldeans  ;  and  then  to  the 
overthrow  of  Babylon.     While  it  is  a  revelation  it  is  not  merely 
an  anticipation  of  history.     The  prophet  is  true  in  represent- 
ing the  future;  yet  the  prophet  so  surveys  it  from  his  own  view 


PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY.  87 

that  it  is  good  evidence  that  it  is  prophetical  and  not  historical. 
Hence  it  is  written  from  the  prophet's  own  historical  standpoint, 
and  by  its  structure  indicates  its  own  prophetic  truth. 

Divisions  of  the  Book. — The  first  complaint,  1 :  2-4.  The 
Lord's  response,  1 :  5-11.  The  second  complaint,  1 :  12  ;  2  :  1. 
The  Lord's  response,  2  :  2-20.  The  triumph,  ch.  3.  The  in- 
justice and  oppression  in  Judah  to  be  punished  by  the  Chaldeans, 
and  the  Chaldeans  to  be  punished  by  their  overthrow.  The 
burden,  2  :  4-20,  consisting  of  a  brief  preamble  and  five  woes  in 
successive  stanzas.  Messianic  passage  in  the  third.  Ch.  3  a 
lyrical  *  recapitulation,  resemblance  to  the  Psalms  in  style, 
artistic  form,  title,  subscription  and  Selah.  Applied  by  the 
fathers  to  the  advent  and  work  of  Christ.  Bengel's  chronologi- 
cal hypothesis,  V.  2;  vs.  3-15  not  historical;  {a)  diversity  in  the 
explanation  of  details ;  {h)  disproportionate  length ;  (c)  tense 
of  opening  verb,  v.  3  (Hebrew).  Prophetic  of  a  divine  descent 
to  judgment,  which  is  to  include  whatever  was  most  grand  in 
former  manifestations  of  God,  directed  against  the  Chaldeans 
and  all  other  foes.  Convulsions  of  nature  poetic  and  em- 
blematic or  suggestive  of  the  final  judgment. 


ZEPHANIAH. 


Habakkuk  describes  judgment  on  Chaldeans ;  Zephaniah  a 
universal  judgment,  in  which,  however,  no  allusion  is  made  to 
the  Chaldeans,  who  are  viewed,  not  as  objects,  but  as  exe- 
cutioners of  God's  wrath.  It  has  special  reference  to  the 
unfaithful  in  Judah,  and  inferior  contiguous  nations,  from  whose 
fate,  as  in  Amos,  an  argument  of  Judah's  doom  is  derived,  3: 
6-8.  Zephaniah  and  Jeremiah  more  frequent  allusions  to 
former  Scriptures  than  Habakkuk.  Zephaniah's  ancestry 
traced  through  four  degrees,  to  Hezekiah,  probably  the  king, 
(a)  identity  of  name  ;  (h)  traced  to  so  remote  an  ancestor ; 
(c)  correspodence  with  the  date.  Objections  that  he  is  not 
explicitly  called  king,  and  that  no  such  son  of  king  Hezekiah 
is  mentioned  in  the  history.  Date,  1  :  1,  probably  after 
Josiah's  twelfth  year.  Other  criteria  inconclusive  ;  2  :  13,  pre- 
dicted desolation  of  Nineveh;  1  :  4,  "remnant  of  Baal,"  cutting 
off  Chemarim  ;  1:8,"  the  king's  children  ;"  3:4,"  the  law." 
Ch.  1,  universal  and  sweeping  judgment,  with  particular  appli- 


88  PBOPHETS  AND  PBOPHEGY. 

cation  to  the  wicked  in  Judah,  vs.  4-13  ;  exhortation  to  seek 
the  Lord  as  the  only  means  of  escape  2  : 1-3;  enforced  by  judg- 
ments on  other  nations,  exhibited  in  three  stanzas,  of  four 
verses  each,  Philistia  in  the  west,  Moab  and  Ammon  in  the 
east,  Ethiopia  and  Assyria  in  the  south  and  north.  In  the 
middle  stanza.  Messianic  allusion,  as  in  Habakkuk.  Applica- 
tion to  Jerusalem,  3  :  1-8.  Promissory  conclusion,  vs.  9-20. 
The  heathen  shall  possess  a  pure  language,  and  take  part  in  the 
restoration  of  God's  people.     Purity  and  blessedness  of  Israel. 


PERIOD    OF    THE   EXILE. 

The  course  of  degeneracy  was  now  violently  terminated.  It 
was  followed  by  a  period  of  seclusion  and  trial.  In  order  to 
effect  the  best  results  in  this  process,  they  were,  first,  to  be 
sifted,  the  best  carried  away,  the  worst  left  to  perish  in  Jerusa- 
lem. The  good  figs  indicate  those  carried  into  exile.  The  sift- 
ing was  performed.  1.  By  the  over-ruling  providence  of  God  ; 
2.  i>Iatural  causes.  The  Lord  had  told  the  people  by  Jeremiah 
W'hat  was  to  come.  Those  who  believed  the  prophecy  would  be 
submissive,  (a)  to  the  disposition  of  the  people  ;  (h)  to  the  inten- 
tions of  the  Chaldeans. 

Tavo  things  were  needed  in  this  period.  1.  Influence 
upon  the  people  themselves;  2.  Influence  upon  the  op- 
pressors in  behalf  of  the  people.  The  former  was  exerted 
by  Ezekiel ;  the  latter  by  Daniel.  Ezekiel  dwelt  among  the 
exiles  foV  their  instruction,  comfort  and  elevation.  Daniel  lived 
at  the  court  of  Babylon  to  protect  the  interests  of  the  people, 
and  to  consult  for  their  welfare  as  Joseph  did  before  Pharoah. 
Hence  Daniel  is  placed  in  the  Hagiographa,  The  work  needed 
was  of  two  kinds,  according  to  the  period.  The  first  part  of 
the  exile  was  a  transition  period,  during  which  there  was  the 
mere  shadow  of  a  kino;dom.  The  exile  beijan  in  the  fourth 
year  of  Jehoiakim.  This  portion  of  the  period  of  the  exile, 
therefore,  overlaps  the  former,  the  Chaldean.  Ezekiel,  there- 
fore, was  living  contemporaneous  with  Jeremiah.  His  ministry 
was  fitted  to  the  period.  As  long  as  Jerusalem  still  stood,  the 
false  prophets  indulged  presumptuous  hopes  ;  and  hindered  the 
growth  of  that  humility  and  j)enitence  which  the  captivity  was 
designed  to  produce.     Hence  his  discourses  wore  denunciatory, 


PE0PIIET8  AND  PBOPHECY.  89 

and  full  of  warning,  during  this  time.  After  the  city  had  actu- 
ally been  destroyed,  a  ministry  of  consolation  was  needed  to 
preserve  the  people  from  utter  despair.  Up  to  the  fall  of  Jeru- 
salem his  ministry  was  like  that  of  Jeremiah,  but  afterwards  it 
entirely  changed. 

Ezekiel  and  Daniel. — (a)  Ezekiel  w.as  to  build  up  the  theoc- 
racy from  within,  Daniel  was  to  exhibit  the  kingdom  of  God  in 
its  conflict  with,  and  victory  over,  the  enemies  of  God.  Both 
use  figures.  (.6)  Ezekiel  draws  his  symbols  mainly  from  the 
sanctuary  with  which  his  position  as  priest  made  him  familiar. 
Daniel  draws  from  other  sources,  (c)  There  is  the  same  variety 
in  Messianic  predictions.  Ezekiel  sometimes  sets  them  forth 
from  a  priestly  point  of  view.  Daniel  exhibits  it  as  the  universal 
and  unending  empire  of  the  Son  of  Man.  These  prophets  note 
the  exact  time  in  which  their  prophecies  were  recorded,  and 
sometimes  the  very  month.  Ezekiel,  24  :  1-2,  tells  the  fact  of 
the  siege  of  Jerusalem  the  very  day  it  began.  The  exile  was 
the  conclusion  of  God's  dealings  with  the  Jews.  The  prophets 
preceding  the  exile  were  limited  to  the  judgments  wrought  by 
or  upon  Babylon.  Now  they  pass  from  the  Babylonish  exile  to 
the  future  troubles  of  Israel,  and  the  succession  of  empire,  until 
the  Messiah,  and  the  conversion  of  the  world.  When  the  exile 
was  at  hand,  it  Avas  necessary  to  prepare  the  people  for  coming 
events,  lest  they  should  suppose  that,  with  the  exile,  all  was 
lost.  This  opinion  it  was  necessary  to  correct,  by  showing  that 
a  long  period  must  intervene,  succession  of  empires,  and  times 
of  trouble  come,  before  the  advent  of  the  Messiah. 


EZEKIEL. 

Fewer  details  are  given  of  Ezekiel  than  of  Daniel.  His 
work  was  spiritual,  and  the  events  of  his  life  had  no  special 
effect  upon  his  work.  The  record  of  his  life  is  found  in  his 
prophecy. 

Name. — '' One  whose  God  strengthens  him,"  He  was  car- 
ried captive  eight  years  after  Daniel  with  Jehoiachin.  His 
ministry  began  (ch.  1  :  1,)  in  the  fifth  year  of  Jehoiachin's  cap- 
tivity, (this  event  dated  from  rather  than  Zedekiah's  reign),  the 
year  after  Jeremiah's  message,  Jer.  51  :  59,  in  the  thirtieth  year 
of  his  age,  Num.  4  :  3.     During  the  early  portions  of  his  min- 


90 


PBOPHETS  AND  PBOPHECY. 


istry,  he  was  a  contemporary  of  Jeremiah  thirty  years.  This 
was  not  from  the  first  year  of  Nabopolassar,  nor  from  the  last 
jubilee,  nor  the  eighteenth  year  of  Josiah.  1.  There  is  no 
proof  that  these  were  eras.  2.  There  is  no  other  date  reck- 
oned from  them.  3.  If  intended  they  would  have  been  men- 
tioned. 

Scene  of  Labors.— 2, :  15,  at  Tel-abib,  by  the  Chebar,  same  as 
Habor,  2  Kings  17 :  6.     Marriage,  24  :  18. 

Duration  of  Ministry.— {]r\cQxt^\n.  29  :  17,  is  the  latest  date 
of  the  book,  the  twenty-seventh  year  of  Jehoiachin's  captivity. 
The  people  were  hopeful  and  yet  rebellious.  But  the  effect  of 
his  labors  was  shown  by:  1.  Frequent  consultation  by  elders 
and  others,  8  :  1  ;  14  :  1.  2.  Freedom  in  uttering  his  reproofs  ; 
3.  Moral  changes  effected  during  the  exile.  His  Hebrew  has 
more  anomalies  and  foreign  forms  than  that  of  Daniel,  who 
was  both  Hebrew  and  Chaldee.  This  corruption  is  first  found 
in  Jeremiah.  It  was  natural  that  the  change  of  language  should 
affect  the  dialect  of  the  people. 

Division  of  the  Book.— I.  Before  the  capture  of  Jerusalem, 
chs.  1-24,  denunciatory.     II.  Respecting  foreign  nations,  chs. 
25-32.     III.  After  the  capture  of  Jerusalem,  chs.  33-48,  prom- 
issory.    Opening  vision,  1:1;  3 :  15,  like  Isa.  6  and  Rev.  4, 
based  on  cherubim  over  the  ark.      Design  not  merely  to  make  an 
impression  of   majesty  and    glory  but  as  preparation  for  this 
specific  message.     The  Mosaic  symbol  its  general  signification  : 
The  God  of  creation  and  of  temple  present  in  profane  land  of 
captivity,  and  about  to  make  a  communication  to  the  prophet. 
Modifications,  its  particular  application  :  (a)  life  and  swiftness  ; 
{b)  fire,  wrath,  qualified  by  rainbow  of  the  covenant.     Verbal 
commission  and  symbol  of  roll,  2  :   9 ;  3  :  3,  e/.  Rev.   10  :   9. 
After  seven  days,  connected  prophecy  to  end  of  ch.  7  :  Responsi- 
bilities of  his  office,  four  symbolic  actions  followed  by  denuncia- 
tion in  literal  terms  ;  (a)  tile,  besieged  city,  warfare  ;  (6)  lie  bound 
390  and  40  days.    Literal  performance  physically  impossible,  out 
of  proportion  to  the  end,  weaken  the  impression,  chronological 
difficulty.     Not  represent  days  of  siege,  with  which  they  do  not 
correspond,  and  the  days  stand  for  years,  4:  6,  either  of  sin'  or 
punishment;  how  reckoned,  {e)  bread,  [d)  hair.     Chs.  8-11,  one 
year  later.     Presumption  of  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem ;  effect  on 
exiles.     1.  The  crimes  of  Jerusalem  and  its  certain  destruction, 
8  :  1 ;  11 :  13.     2.     The  exiles  are  God's  true  covenant  people, 
11:  14-21.     Profanation  of  temple,  not  perhaps  actual,  scenes 
of  single  idolatrous  festival,  or  various  forms  of  idolatry  gath- 
ered there,  but  ideal  concentration,     (a)  Lev.  16  :  16-19  ;  (h) 


PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY.  91 

Ex.  20 :  3 ;  (c)  temple  was  Judah's  place  of  worship ;  {d)  justi- 
fied by  actual  profanation  at  different  times.  Image  of  jealousy, 
chamber  of  imagery,  Jaazaniah,  Taramuz,  five  and  twenty  men. 
Six  men  with  the  man  in  linen.  Five  and  twenty  men  at  the 
east  gate,  Pelatiah  son  of  Benaiah.  Promises  to  exiles,  (a) 
God  will  be  a  sanctuary  to  them,  11  :  16;  (6)  bring  them  back 
to  land  of  Israel,  v.  17 ;  {c)  give  them  a  new  heart,  v.  19.  Glory 
of  God  forsakes  the  temple.  Denunciations  continued  until  the 
day  that  Jerusalem  is  besieged,  ch.  21.  Seven  foreign  nations, 
chs.  25-32.  Ammon,  Moab,  Edom,  Philistia,  Tyre,  Zidou, 
Egypt.  Promises  :  I.  Deliverance  from  foes,  chs.  83-39.  II. 
Restoration  of  the  theocracy,  chs.  40-48.  I.  Evening  preced- 
ing news  of  fall  of  city,  second  formal  call  of  prophet,  ch.  33; 
deliverance  from  wicked  rulers,  David  their  shepherd,  ch.  34; 
from  present  foes,  Edom  denounced,  contrasted  blessedness  of 
Israel,  valley  of  dry  bones,  union  of  the  two  sticks,  chs.  35-37  ; 
from  future  foes,  Gog  and  Magog,  chs.  38,  39.  II.  Fourteenth 
year  after  the  city  was  smitten,  1st  month  and  10th  day. 

Different  Opinions. — 1.  Historical,  of  what  had  been.  2. 
Mindatory,  for  the  direction  of  the  exiles.  3.  Prophetic.  It 
can  not  be  literal.  1.  Historical,  for  (a)  it  did  not  correspond 
with  what  had  been  ;  (b)  unnecessary  if  it  referred  to  the  past ; 
(c)  the  language  prevents  such  reference.  2.  It  is  not  manda- 
tory, because  the  exiles  did  not  follow  the  commands.  3.  It 
can  not  be  prophetic,  for  this  would  be  contrary  to  the  dec- 
clarations  of  N.  T.  and  the  intimations  of  0.  T.  If  prophetic, 
it  would  predict  the  return  of  the  Christian  church  to  Jewish 
forms,  but  the  Jewish  ritual  is  abolished  by  the  sacrifice  of 
Christ  and  the  providence  of  God.  It  is  symbolic  and  ideal,  for  : 
1.  The  original  temple  was  symbolical :  made  use  of  symboli- 
cally by  Ezekiel  elsewhere,  Jer.  31  :  38-40.  2.  It  yields  a  good 
and  proper  sense.  3.  There  are  many  things  in  the  vision 
which  could  not  be  carried  out  literally,  e.  g.,  the  size  of  Jeru- 
salem and  the  temple  ;  the  stream  proceeding  from  the  temple 
and  healing  the  nations.  4.  It  is  like  Rev.  21  :  22.  In  fact 
Rev.  seems  to  be  a  commentary  on  this  passage.  Rev.  is 
symbolic. 

II.  40-48,  This  last  vision  was  at  the  beginning  of  the  year 

(40  :  1.)     These  chapters  contain  1.  Description  of  the  temple. 

.  2.  Ritual  service  in  the  temple  ;   '-5,   final  apportionment  of  the 

land.     Some    take    literal  views,  others  regard  the  temple  as 

ideal. 

This  section  is  divided:  (1.)  40-43  :  12,  Measure  of  the  tem- 
ple.    The  church  of  God  is  to  be  re-established   on   the    earth. 


92  PBOPHETS  AND  PROPHECT. 

Ezekial's  temple  in  the  vision  differs  from  Solomon's  real 
temple,  (a)  in  dimensions,  which  are  enlarged,  (6)  Ezekiel  gives 
more  prominence  to  subordinate  facts.  Nothing  is  .  left  to  the 
choice  or  direction  of  the  builders.  He  gives  a  great  deal  of 
time  to  the  gates,  the  doors,  the  courts,  etc.  These  inferior  parts 
have  a  new  and  sacred  importance  connected  with  them.  The 
court  is  exalted  to  a  sacred  pre-eminence  corresponding  to  the 
Holy  of  Holies  in  Solomon's  temple,  43  :  1.  In  the  new  temple 
the  glory  of  God  is  never  to  depart.  In  the  old  it  did,  11 :  23. 
(2.)  43  :  13  ;  47  :  12.  This  division  gives  a  description  of  the 
holy  service.  Priests,  people  and  rulers  should  all  be  united  in 
the  worship,  47  :  1-12.  The  trees  by  the  stream  of  life  remind 
us  of  Paradise.  To  represent  the  blessing  brought  by  this 
stream  it  is  spoken  of  as  flowing  to  dead  localities,  even  to  the 
Dead  sea,  which  shall  be  purified,  the  Dead  sea  being  the  symbol 
of  all  that  is  vile  and  lifeless.  Even  this  shall  be  vitalized  and 
beautified  by  this  stream  of  life.  The  only  places  not  reclaimed 
are  those  not  reached  by  this  stream.  (3.)  47  :  13 ;  48 :  35. 
Concluding  Portion,  Division  of  the  land  among  the  twelve 
tribes.  Two  points  of  difference  from  the  real  division,  (a) 
Uniformity  of  division.  All  have  an  equal  portion  from  W.  to 
E.,  and  all  are  on  the  W.  side  of  the  Jordan.  No  tribe  is  pre- 
ferred above  another,  47  :  22,  23  ;  Rev.  7  :  5-8.  It  is  even  said 
that  strangers  dwelling  among  them  shall  have  equal  privileges. 
{h)  Ezekiel's  division  leaves  nothing  to  the  decision  of  men, 
but  all  is  fixed  by  God.  We  can  not  conclude  that  the  Christian 
church  is  ever  to  return  to  Judaic  forms.  This  last  portion 
shows  how  0.  T.  forms  may  set  forth  N.  T.  things. 


DANIEL. 

The  name  signifies  "  God's  "judge,"  i.  e.,  "  one  who  delivers 
God's  judgments."  According  to  1 :  1.  Daniel  was  of  the  tribe 
of  Judah,  and  of  princely  descent.  He  was  carried  away  in 
the  first  deportation  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  eight  years  before 
Ezekiel.  Carried  away  at  the  beginning  of  the  exile,  he  sur- 
vived its  close,  but  did  not  return,  probably  because  of  advanced 
age.  He  was  a  favorite  of  Nebuchadnezzar  on  account  of  his 
wisdom  and  supernatural  endowments,  wdiich  are  referred  to  by 
Ezekiel,  chs.  14  :  14;  28  :  3.     He  was  set  aside  by  Belshazzar, 


94  PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

Babylon,  prophetic  dream,  insanity,  circumstances  of  Babylon's 
capture,  Darius  the  Mede,  120  princes,  Medes  and  Persians, 
Per&ians  and  Medes.  7.  Knowledge  of  customs ;  land  of 
Shinar,  1  :  2,  fed  from  king's  table,  changing  names  of  Daniel 
and  his  companions,  years  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  reign,  punish- 
ments, colossal  image,  music,  women  at  entertainments,  gold 
chain,  king's  edicts  immutable,  the  magi.  8.  Abundance  of 
symbols  as  in  Ezekiel ;  book  inconsistent  with  assumed  Macca- 
bean  origin. 

Prophecies.  The  disclosures  in  the  second  and  seventh  chap- 
ters are  parallel.  The  second  chapter  has  Nebuchadnezzar's 
dream — four  empires,  Babylon,  Medo-Persia,  Macedon,  Rome. 
The  seventh  chapter  contains  the  vision  of  the  four  beasts — the 
same  four  empires.  The  lion  with  eagle's  wings=Babylon. 
The  bear  with  three  ribs=:the  Medo-Persian,  greedily  raven- 
ous propensity.  The  leopard  with  four  wings  and  four  heads^ 
the  Macedonian  Empire,  portioned  into  Syria,  Egypt,  Thrace 
and  Macedon.  A  nondescript  animal  with  ten  horns  and  a  little 
horn^the  Roman  empire,  whose  attack  no  animal  is  fierce 
enough  to  withstand.  Ten  horns  indicate  ten  successive  kings, 
and  the  little  horn= Antichrist.  St.  John  sees  only  one  beast, 
which  represents  all  Daniel's  beasts  in  one.  The  seven  heads 
of  John's  beast  represent  the  seven  empires  in  which  one  un- 
godly power  was  embodied.  The  Apostle  says  five  had  already 
existed,  Egypt,  Assja-ia,  Babylon,  Syria,  Macedon.  The  one 
standing  in  Rome.  Another  is  yet  to  come.  The  interpreta- 
tion so  depends  on  historical  facts  that  all  orthodox  writers 
agree  as  to  its  meaning.  Skeptics  have  invented  other  mean- 
ings for  the  symbols.  They  are,  1.  To  divide  the  Medo-Persian 
empire  into  two.  But  [a)  this  was  only  one.  Media  and  Per- 
sia were  the  same  empire.  Persians  were  confederated  with 
the  Medes,  the  only  change  being  that  of  the  reigning  family. 
(5)  It  is  always  thus  spoken  by  of  profane  and  sacred  writers  ; 
Esther  ;  Daniel  5  :  28  ;  6  :  8  ;  12  :  15.  {c)  The  skeptics  make 
the  leopard  represent  the  Persian  empire  ;  but  the  leopard  has 
four  heads,  and  the  Persian  empire  was  not  so  divided.  2.  To 
divide  the  Macedonian  empire  into  two,  Babyloniiin,  and  Medo- 
Persian,  the  Macedonian  empire  of  Alexander,  and  those  of  his 
successors  being  made  separate.  But  (a)  the  leopard  with  four 
heads  represents  the  empire  broken  into  four  parts.  (5)  The 
fourth  empire  is  stronger  and  more  terrible  than  its  predeces- 
sors, cf.  8:  22;  11:  4.  (c)  Then  no  explanation  would  be 
given  of  the  ten  horns. 

Chs.  8-12  are  supplementary.  In  chap.  8,  the  ram=Syria.  The 


FBOPHETS  AND  PROPHECY.  95 

he-goat=the  Macedonian  empire.  The  horn  between  his  eyes 
=Alexander  the  Great,  The  four  horns  springing  up=Syria, 
Egypt,  Thrace,  Macedon,  into  which  the  empire  was  divided  at 
Alexander's  death.  Out  of  the  Syrian  kingdom  grew  a  little 
horn  which  waxed  greater.  This  was  Antiochus  Epiphanes 
who  was  monarch  of  the  kingdom,  and  persecutor  of  the  Jews. 

Ch.  9,  revealed  in  the  first  year  of  Darius  the  Mede,  which 
is  the  69th  year  of  the  captivity.  The  prophet  was  praying  for 
the  restoration  of  the  people  when  further,  full  disclosures  were 
made  to  him.  It  might  be  supposed  that  immediately,  at  the 
expiration  of  the  captivity,  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah  would 
come.  But  the  angel  tells  the  prophet  that  the  seventy  weeks 
are  about  gone,  but  that  there  are  yet  to  come  seventy  more  years 
to  finish  the  transgression  by  atonement.  All  relates  to  the 
work  of  Christ.  Within  these  seventy  weeks  of  years,  all  these 
Messianic  functions  shall  be  performed.  This  is  made  more 
precise  by  dividing  these  seventy  weeks  into  three  periods  of 
seven,  sixty-two,  and  one  weeks.  He  informs  us  from  what 
point  of  time  the  seventy  weeks  are  to  date,  viz.,  the  going  forth 
of  the  commandment  to  rebuild  Jerusalem.  This  is  not  the  per- 
mission of  Cyrus  to  return  to  their  own  land.  Down  to  the 
time  of  Nehemiah,  the  city  was  still  in  ruins,  Neh.  2  :  8.  The 
first  efi'ectual  measures  were  taken  by  him,  after  that  he  re- 
ceived permission  to  rebuild,  Neh.  2  :  5,  6,  in  the  twentieth 
year  of  Artaxerxes  Longimanus.  This  is  the  exact  time  from 
which  the  seventy  weeks  were  to  begin.  There  is  some  differ- 
ence among  historians  as  to  the  length  of  Artaxerxes'  reign. 
Hengstenberg  goes  into  an  elaborate  argument,  to  show  that 
the  time  of  the  prophecy  was  exact.  The  entire  restoration  of 
the  city  would  be  accomplished  though  in  the  midst  of  much 
trouble.  After  sixty-nine  weeks  would  be  the  Messiah's  public 
appearance  ;  in  the  midst  of  the  last  week.  His  effectual  sac- 
rifice, followed  by  destruction  of  the  city  and  sanctuary.  What 
distinctly  belongs  to  the  last  week  is  shown  in  9  :  27. 

Chs.  10-12.  The  last  vision  of  the  book.  In  the  third  year 
of  Cyrus  Daniel  was  in  mourning  because  of  the  events  in  Ezek. 
4 :  1-5.  The  subject  of  ch.  8  is  here  resumed  and  dwelt  upon 
in  literal  language.  Prediction  in  literal  terms  of  the  over- 
throw of  the  Persian  empire  by  Alexander.  Division  of  his  em- 
pire at  his  death.  Persecution  of  Antiochus  set  forth.  As  a 
relief  from  these  dark  pictures  he  gives  the  brightness  of  the 
future,  the  resurrection  and  external  glory.  Reluctant  testi- 
mony of  skeptics  to  the  truth  of  the  prophecies.  Apocryphal 
sections  are  added  in  the  Septuagint. 


96  p:ropsets  and  pbofhecy. 

.PERIOD  OF    THE  RESTORATION. 

The  period  of  captivity  is  now  over.  The  decree  has  been 
procured  from  Cyrus  that  the  Jews  may  return  to  their  own 
land.  Ezekiel  has  prepared  the  people  inwardly  for  their  re- 
turn, and  for  the  establishment  of  the  forms  of  the  theocracy. 
The  people  had  been  sifted  at  the  close  as  at  the  beginning  of 
the  exile.  The  work  of  Ezekiel  and  Daniel  had  been  amongst 
this  better  class.  It  was  the  better  and  more  pious  people  who 
Avould  leave  their  houses  and  return  to  Jerusalem  to  rebuild  that 
desolated  city.  Returning  to  their  own  land,  new  opposition 
meets  them  from  the  Samaritans,  and  other  enemies.  The  ex- 
iles were  under  strong  temptation,  therefore,  to  succumb  to  de- 
spair. Haggai  and  Zechariah  cheer  them  under  present  trials 
and  discouragements,  by  showing:  1.  That  their  present  weak- 
ness was  no  indication  that  God  was  not  with  theiQ.  For  in 
spite  of  present  adversities  they  should  rise  higher  than  ever 
before.  They  were  shown  also  that  the  heathen  nations  should 
be  brought  low.  and  pour  in  their  resources  to  them;  Ezra  5  : 
1 ;  6  :  14.  2.  The  altered  condition  and  disposition  of  the 
heathen  nations.  Haggai  and  Zechariah  appear  to  be  sum- 
moned to  the  prophetic  office  within  one  month  of  each  other, 
and  they  labored  together.  The  book  of  Zechariah,  indeed, 
seems  to  be  an  expansion  of  the  smaller  one  of  Haggai.  It 
was  the  mission  of  both  to  show  the  people  that  their  present 
condition  was  due  to  temporary  causes,  and  should  not  last  for- 
ever. But  in  comforting  the  people,  and  in  promising  them 
that  there  was  danger  that  they  would  think  the  glory  was  to 
come  immediately,  Zechariah  prepares  them  for  additional 
troubles  before  the  promises  should  be  fulfilled,  and  declares 
how  signally  they  would  be  delivered  out  of  them.  He  dwells 
chiefly  on  the  external  condition  of  the  people. 

Malachi  is  different.  The  people  must  not  think  that  the 
divine  blessing  would  be  given  to  them  without  regard  to  their 
own  character.  The  altered  tones  of  the  prophecies  grew  out 
of  the  difierent  circumstances  in  which  they  were  uttered.  The 
ministry  of  Malachi  was  later  than  that  of  Zechariah  and  Hag- 
gai; and  the  temple  had  been  built,  but  the  long  years  of  suffer- 
ing had  brought  to  light  certain  evil  tendencies.  It  had  shown 
a  measure  of  hypocrisy.  These  must  be  removed  if  they  would 
enjoy  the  blessings  which  the  older  prophets  had  predicted. 
Thus  we  have  the  0.  T.  prophets  forming  themselves  into  a 
grand  scheme,  and  each  period  forming  the  preparation  for  that 
to  come.  The  prophets  are,  therefore,  not  isolated  individuals, 
but  are  to  carry  forward  from  age  to  age  one  divine  scheme. 


PROPHETS  AND  PROPHECY.  97 


HAGGAI. 

The  name  signifies  "  a  feast."  A  relation  has  been  found  or 
fancied  in  the  fact  that  he  labored  for  the  restoration  of  the 
feast  of  the  Jewish  rituals.  He  is  mentioned  in  Ezra  5:1; 
6  :  14.  The  duration  of  his  ministry  is  unknown.  The  dis- 
courses in  his  book  were  all  delivered  within  four  months.  It 
would  be  precarious  to  say  from  this  that  his  ministry  lasted 
only  four  months,  as  it  would  be,  from  Ezra  6  :  14,  to  say  that 
it  lasted  through  the  entire  reign. 

There  are  four  discourses,  the  dates  of  all  which  are  accurately 
given.  It  is  not  probable  that  these  are  the  only  discourses  he 
ever  uttered.  They  are  the  only  ones  for  the  benefit  of  the 
church  in  the  time  to  come.  Cyrus  had  no  sooner  died,  than 
the  adversaries  obtained  from  the  king  decrees  adverse  to  the 
building  of  the  temple.  Haggai  strives  to  waken  them  to  cour- 
age, to  the  rebuilding  of  the  temple.  These  discourses  were  de- 
livered in  the  second  year  of  Darius. 

The  first  (ch.  1)  was  addressed  to  Zerubbabel,  governor  of 
Judah,  and  to  Joshua,  the  high-priest.  Hag.  1:1.  It  repre- 
mandedthem  for  the  suspension  in  the  building  of  God's  house, 
while  they  content  themselves  with  dwelling  in  their  own  houses. 
He  urges  them  to  go  at  once  and  bring  wood  to  build  the  house. 
The  efi"ect  was  that  the  people  began  that  same  month  to  build. 

The  second  discourse  (2 :  1-9)  there  was  danger  that  the 
people  who  had  seen  the  former  temple  would  despise  the  latter 
one ;  and  there  is  need  that  Haggai  should  tell  them  that 
the  glory  of  this  latter  house  would  be  greater  than  the  former. 
This  universal  shaking  of  all  nations  includes  convulsions  to 
take  place  through  all  the  world.  It  is  the  convulsion  of  states 
and  nations  which  is  shown  forth,  and  it  is  to  take  place  for  the 
glory  of  God.  The  people  of  God  were  weak.  Their  enemies 
were  powerful.  But  the  shaking  of  the  world  would  begin  in  a 
little  while,  and  it  should  be  destroyed.  After  all  had  been 
shaken  down,  God's  house  should  remain.  The  design  for 
which  this  is  to  take  place  should  fill  this  house  with  glory. 
A  common  interpretation  is  that  "  the  desire  of  all  nations  " 
(2  :  7)  is  the  Messiah.  Therefore  the  meaning  would  be,  that 
the  shaking  of  all  nations  would  be  in  order  that  "  the  desire  of 
all  nations,"  i.  e.,  the  Messiah  should  come.  There  are  many 
things  attractive  in  this  interpretation,  and  it  coincides  Avell 
with  the  result.  Still  an  inspection  of  the  prophet's  language 
in  the  original  will  do  away  with  this  interpretation.     The  verb 


98  PEOPHETS  AND  PROPHECY. 

"  come  "  agreeing  with  "  desire  of  all  nations,"  is  in  the  plural, 
though  the  noun  "  desire  "  is  in  the  singular,  feminine.  The 
agreement,  therefore,  is  in  sense  and  not  in  letter.  "  The  de- 
sire of  all  nations  "  is,  in  the  Septuagint,  "  the  most  desirable  of 
all  nations  ; "  that  is,  the  result  Avill  be  the  conversion  of  the 
choicest  nations.  This  is  closely  allied  to  the  real  meaning. 
"  The  desire  of  all  nations  " — those  things  that  the  nations  de- 
sire— their  valuables.  It  is  applied  to  jewels  and  other  pre- 
cious objects.  The  present  structure  seems  mean  and  poor  in 
comparison  with  the  temple  of  Solomon,  but  the  prophet  tells 
them  that  God  would  shake  down  all  nations  till  they  should 
lose  their  hostility  to  Him.  And  they  would  delight  to  help 
Israel  to  fill  the  house  of  God  with  glory.  They  should  bring 
their  treasures  to  it,  or  more  probably  the  glory — the  treasures 
themselves.  In  order  to  assure  them  of  His  ability  to  accom- 
plish this,  He  adds  further  promises.  Consequently  at  any 
time  He  pleases.  He  can  give  peace  to  His  people.  LTpon  this 
interpretation  we  are  not  clear  to  the  very  letter  of  the  passage. 
The  real  temple  signifies  the  spiritual. 

Third  discourse,  2 :  10-19.  This  relates  to  the  first  dis- 
course. Everything  is  vitiated  by  their  former  neglect,  but 
God's  blessing  will  attend  their  reviving  zeal. 

Fourth  discourse,  2  :  20-23.  It  is  related  to  the  second.  The 
shaking  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  the  overthrow  of  hos- 
tile kingdoms,  while  Zerubbabel,  as  the  representative  of  the 
royal  house  of  David,  is  chosen  and  protected. 


ZECHARIAH. 


Name,  parentage,  priestly  descent,  age,  beginning  of  minis- 
try, its  duration,  Matt.  23:  35.  Three  parts:  1.  Chs.  1-6, 
series  of  visions.  2.  Chs.  7,  8,  answer  to  a  question  proposed 
by  the  people.  3.  Chs.  9-14.  prophecies  in  literal  terms  relat- 
ing to  future  fortunes  of  God's  people.  Difiiculty  in  the  cita- 
tion, Matt.  27  :  9 ;  various  solutions,  Zechariah  not  the  author, 
error  in  transcription,  a  peculiar  order  of  the  prophets,  com- 
bined reference  to  two  passages.  Genuineness  of  chs.  9-14  ; 
objections:  (a)  style  and  character;  {h)  incidental  allusions, 
Judah  and  Israelii:  14,  or  Ephraim,  9  :  13;  10:  6,  7;  but 
see  1 :  19 ;  8  :  13,  Ezek.  87  :  IG ;  king  of  Gaza,  9  :  5,  Assyria 


PROPHETS  AND  PBOPHEGY.  99 

and  Egypt,  10  :  10,  11 ;  idolatry,  10  :  2 ;  13  :  2.  No  allusion  to 
any  king  in  Judah.  Position  in  this  book  not  explicable  other- 
wise. I.  Chs.  1-6,  eight  visions.  First,  1  :  7-17,  man  on  red 
horse  ;  second,  1  :  8-21,  four  horns  and  carpenters ;  third,  ch. 
2,  measuring  line  ;  fourth,  ch.  3,  high-priest  in  filthy  garments  ; 
fifth,  ch.  4,  candlestick  and  two  olive  trees ;  sixth,  5  :  1-4,  flying 
roll  ;  seventh,  5 :  5-11,  woman  in  an  ephah  ;  eighth,  6 :  1-8, 
chariots  issuing  from  between  two  mountains.  Symbolical  sec- 
tion, 6:  9-15,  the  crowned  priest.  11.  Chs.  7,  8,  continued  ob- 
servance of  fasts ;  7 :  4-14,  rebuke  of  spirit  in  which  they  had 
been  kept ;  ch.  8,  happy  future.  III.  Chs.  9-14,  scenes  from 
future  fortunes  of  God's  people,  from  their  protection  in  the 
time  of  Alexander  to  final  overthrow  of  all  enemies.  Ch.  9  : 
burden  of  Hadrach,  pledge  of  protection,  vs.  9,  10  in  Zion's 
King,  Maccabean  deliverance,  v.  13.  Ch.  11  :  Desolation  of 
land,  vs.  1-3,  its  predicted  cause,  vs.  4-14,  the  treatment  of  the 
good  shepherd,  Beauty  and  Bands,  three  shepherds  cut  off,  his 
price  ;  vs.  15-17,  abandoned  to  foolish  shepherd.  Chs.  12,  13  : 
Jerusalem  assailed,  delivered,  outpouring  of  spirit,  mourning  by 
families,  fountain  opened,  sin  abandoned  ;  judgment  to  follow 
the  smiting  of  the  shepherd.  Ch.  14 :  Jerusalem  besieged  by 
all  nations,  taken,  miraculous  rescue,  living  waters,  judgment 
on  gathered  foes,  universal  consecration. 


MALACHI. 


Name,  date,  self-righteousness  of  people  (a)  claiming  that 
they  had  fulfilled  their  duty ;  (6)  demanding  a  better  recom- 
pense. Two  parts  :  I.  1:2;  2:16,  their  obligations  and 
sins;  (a)  1  :  2-5,  their  obligations  to  God;  {h)  1  :  6;  2  :  9,  sins 
directly  against  God ;  (c)  2  :  10-16,  against  their  brethren.  II. 
2  :  17;  4  :  6,  the  judgment  and  recompense  :  (a)  2  :  17  ;  3  :  6, 
severity  of  the  test  which  the  Lord  shall  apply  at  his  coming  ; 
messenger  to  prepare  the  way,  Angel  of  the  covenant,  Christ 
contemplated  not  as  a  redeemer  but  a  judge ;  (6)  3  :  7-12,  their 
desert  of  the  curse  with  which  they  had  been  visited;  (c)  3  :  13; 
4  :  6,  distinction  to  be  made  between  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked.  Elijah  ;  the  last  of  the  prophets  ends  with  the  an- 
nouncement of  the  herald  of  the  new  dispensation. 


